1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
quit acting like a nincompoop, because I know you are smarter than that
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moron
a stupid person
who wants a nincompoop as a business partner?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nincompoop
Everyone in the imperium knows the emperor is a nincompoop—and yet no one wants to go out on a limb to criticize him.
—
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
Korda has declared that, because his nine sons are, frankly, nincompoops and rapscallions, Liesl will be the sole heir to his fortune.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
Paired alongside Williams and Dunst’s airheads, Ferrell plays a nincompoop Bob Woodward, but the role doesn’t give him much of a chance to cut loose.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
Being a nature nincompoop may have saved him from a grisly fate.
—Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025
As Jimmy, the chief pushover, Jimmy, Norman makes for a sympathetic enough nincompoop.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 16 June 2024
Only one police officer pops up there, a smiley nincompoop who sucks down children’s birthday cake from behind a desk and shrugs his way through conversation.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024
Somebody else could have gotten away with doing half as much, but Ruffalo proves a compound nincompoop.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
Korda has declared that, because his nine sons are, frankly, nincompoops and rapscallions, Liesl will be the sole heir to his fortune.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025
Paired alongside Williams and Dunst’s airheads, Ferrell plays a nincompoop Bob Woodward, but the role doesn’t give him much of a chance to cut loose.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
Being a nature nincompoop may have saved him from a grisly fate.
—Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025
As Jimmy, the chief pushover, Jimmy, Norman makes for a sympathetic enough nincompoop.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 16 June 2024
Only one police officer pops up there, a smiley nincompoop who sucks down children’s birthday cake from behind a desk and shrugs his way through conversation.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024
Somebody else could have gotten away with doing half as much, but Ruffalo proves a compound nincompoop.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nincompoop
Noun
-
But as Plemons so deftly plays him, Teddy doesn’t seem like a lunatic.—
Jake Coyle,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
-
There were these lunatics in the car.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Only a moron would cut the funding of an industry that actually brings revenue into the government’s pocket.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
18 Sep. 2025
-
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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That’s been fool’s gold many times before.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
These features glitter like fool’s gold.—
Nadav Ziv,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
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The gas station and convenience store combo, known for its goose mascot, offers built-to-order hoagies, breakfast items, milkshakes, coffee, soft pretzels, soups, and more.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Oct. 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
-
Haunted Trail takes visitors outdoors through a path with dense fog and several haunting installations with zombies, a ghoul bus, a graveyard filled with ghosts, chainsaw maniacs and more.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
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Change Halloween to the Fourth of July and a relentless maniac to a hungry shark, and Steven Spielberg's iconic blockbuster might as well be a seabound slasher.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nincompoop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nincompoop. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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