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half-baked

adjective

ˈhaf-ˈbākt How to pronounce half-baked (audio)
Definition of half-bakednext
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment he's always got some half-baked "solution" to a difficult, complex problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of half-baked In this promising but ultimately half-baked gory bit of business, a killer (Dacre Montgomery) restages scenes of torture and murder inspired by that film for his serial killing. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026 Some of the app's settings and tools are half-baked, and their Bluetooth LE Audio support isn’t perfect. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026 Even if the products such as the agent mode in Perplexity and Atlas feel half-baked, the hope is that getting into the market early will collect more data than their competitors. — Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 13 Nov. 2025 Many were half-baked at best and designed for clicks, comments and likes — the insistent demand of the internet age. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for half-baked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-baked
  1. stupid
  2. foolish
  3. silly
  4. absurd
  5. insane
  6. crazy
  7. mad
  8. idiotic
Adjective
  • No one, in my opinion, comes close to this selfish, foul-mouthed and stupid showman.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Our business is stupid, but actors are the bomb / From Martindale to Milioti, my dad and my mom.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Cousins made two foolish mistakes, on the interceptions by Trader and Taaffe.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • That game is too important, and holding someone back for a hypothetical Game 3 might be foolish regardless.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • That was a valuable lesson as the previous season, silly errors and lapses in concentration led to the side conceding goals that hamstrung their title ambitions.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Seen as silly, shrunken, and impractical, it’s considered the full-sugar Coca-Cola of jackets—all empty calories, no nutritional value.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of silly
Adjective
  • Every once in a while, a professional athlete will do something so absurd on the field that people will question if the athlete is from this world.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Brizé weaves between these absurd moments and two slow-simmering crises that cause Carla to begin doubting her diehard commitment to work.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of absurd
Adjective
  • My first two videos each passed 100,000 views, which felt absolutely insane for a brand-new channel.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The crack epidemic in America, especially in Bed-Stuy, was insane, so that really implanted into my brain.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of insane
Adjective
  • Our readers have been shopping deals on everything from a $160-off Dyson Airwrap and a Costco membership freebie to Patagonia gear, Bath & Body Works candles and a surprisingly affordable Dooney & Bourke bag (seriously, under $100 is crazy).
    — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • While fans were going crazy, storming the field and soaking up the moment, the team couldn’t wait to leave that game behind.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of crazy
Adjective
  • Largely through the medium of Facebook, Kanarek had driven Barisone mad.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Behind his graying beard, his expression crackled between a scowl and a mad grin.
    — Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of mad
Adjective
  • With just six 30-minute episodes per season (by design), some of these idiotic run-on stories inevitably hit the cutting room floor.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • To Tommy, Anna and Molly are twittering encumbrances, idiotic in their insistence on good works and the good of man, their endless remorseful hedgings about the Communist Party.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of idiotic

Browse Nearby Words

half-and-halfs
half-baked
half bath
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Half-baked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-baked. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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