as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
got tired of being treated like an empty-headed lackey and quit to start a business
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Recent Examples of empty-headed
Gosling earned an Oscar nomination for his role as the empty-headed Ken, while Ferrell played the goofy CEO of Mattel.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 July 2025
Andrew Cunningham Pokémon NPCs usually spout empty-headed pleasantries about the wonders of Pokémon; the NPCs in Palworld set a darker tone from the start.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2024
Fairly or not, NOFX and its Warped Tour compatriots are easily written off as empty-headed, obnoxious, adolescent bros. Fat Mike’s capitalist streak rubs many purists the wrong way.
—Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 July 2025
Andrew Cunningham Pokémon NPCs usually spout empty-headed pleasantries about the wonders of Pokémon; the NPCs in Palworld set a darker tone from the start.
—Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2024
Fairly or not, NOFX and its Warped Tour compatriots are easily written off as empty-headed, obnoxious, adolescent bros. Fat Mike’s capitalist streak rubs many purists the wrong way.
—Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty-headed
Adjective
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But the truly dangerous frontier is the American high school, where girls are willing to play dumb and give up their secrets, friends, privacy and virginity to fit in and find love.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2026
-
There were those dumb America's Care Packages that bestowed special powers to popular players to give them unfair advantages.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Fans wear their favorite players’ name, beg for their autograph and spend stupid amounts of money just to be in their proximity.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Not every bee was successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s such a thing as a stupid bumblebee, Loukola says.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Recovery of the bodies has been slow because of the chemicals and other hazards present at the site, Amos explained.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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My wife goes into the kitchen and returns with beer, fruit, and a few simple dishes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The measure needs a simple majority to win.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Hikers dip into shady trails lined with thick brush, a favorite path being the Myakka Canopy Walkway, which offers a rare peek into the ecosystems—both minuscule and massive—within the swampy marshland.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
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Whatever its former luxury, the boat now had cabins crammed with four-person bunks and an atmosphere thick with the scent of unwashed bodies and the steam of rations.—
Kevin Maurer,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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It’s presented without winks or nudges, neither as a joke nor necessarily foolish.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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If the target was foolish enough to reuse passwords, credential thefts like these could enable the compromise of more important accounts.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Empty-headed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty-headed. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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