as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
far from being oafish, the professional wrestler was in fact a college graduate
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Recent Examples of oafish
In a movie about two women who intuitively understand each other, Brandt and Trebs are charmingly oafish as men who are eager to fix a dishwasher but less keen on how to repair trauma.
—
Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
But there’s value to the subtle, occasional mention of an appropriate insider name, a gesture that’s more like a secret handshake than the work of an oafish show-off.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2025
Amin, who ruled Uganda for eight years, is usually remembered as a cartoon villain, with an oafish sense of humor that only made his cruelty more unsettling.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
But there’s value to the subtle, occasional mention of an appropriate insider name, a gesture that’s more like a secret handshake than the work of an oafish show-off.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2025
Amin, who ruled Uganda for eight years, is usually remembered as a cartoon villain, with an oafish sense of humor that only made his cruelty more unsettling.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oafish
Adjective
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Does that kind of discourse-friendly success override the fact that Euphoria is too young, too scummy, and too dumb to fit into the usual Emmy pattern?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
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And that’s where things somehow got even dumber After being questioned by security, Beyer reportedly gave a fake name, which prompted them to call police.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran — theyr’e not stupid.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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That was celebrated by the lefties as liberation, or something stupid like that.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Banchero up-and-down The Magic superstar forward got off to a slow start by opening 1-for-6 from the field, including missing his first four 3-pointers.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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More Americans are heading into retirement without a pension, and are instead leaning on savings accounts and investment portfolios that have become increasingly subject to market swings and the slow erosion of inflation.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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These are products have a short, simple ingredient lists that are easy to understand for regular consumers and are free from additives.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
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Sometimes this involved simple in-person observations.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Keep moisture in the soil by adding a a 3- or 4-inch-thick layer of insulating, coarse wood (NOT BARK) mulch, leaving some bare sunny spots for ground dwelling native bees.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Then remove a few of the oldest, thickest living stems, cutting them down to about 2 inches from the ground.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oafish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oafish. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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