1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
some half-wit had left the gate open, and all the sheep had gotten loose
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiot
a stupid person
even a half-wit knows that ice cream melts if it's not in the freezer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of half-wit
If one president can pardon his half-brother, then another president can pardon his half-wit son.
—
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 8 June 2024
Aerial mishaps and half-wit actors turn a fantasy classic into a farce.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2023
Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 8 June 2024
Aerial mishaps and half-wit actors turn a fantasy classic into a farce.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-wit
Noun
-
So here’s this lunatic with a crew cut.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Where that show’s boss (played by Steve Carell) was a bit of an inappropriate fool, Gleeson’s character is more idealistic.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
-
These jokers in Indianapolis acting the fool.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Seth Rollins gassed Bron up by saying Jey Uso thinks his dad is a loser and his uncle is a moron.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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So, the parallel thing that I’ve been frustrated by recently is not just calling Trump stupid, but calling Trump voters stupid.—
Drew Broussard
May 22,
Literary Hub,
22 May 2025
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Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Made from the fatty liver of a duck or goose, most foie gras production faces accusations of force-feeding the animals.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The short’s synopsis reads: After the death of her husband, Janet decides to distract herself by rearing a goose, which is to be the centrepiece of her Christmas dinner.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Sure enough, the quiet is shattered when a new villain rolls into town in the form of Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), a chaotic, fashion-forward maniac with a personal vendetta and a flair for over-the-top drama.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Produced by Latefox Pictures, High Rise Studio, and Chrono Visor Images, Death Cycle follows a woman grieving the death of her sister, who is visited by a man investigating a series of brutal murders committed by a motorcycle maniac.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Half-wit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-wit. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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