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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And the script’s very cute but deeply dumb leading man, Alex (Nico Carney), climbs a flight of stairs toward his best friend’s bedroom door.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
-
And there are no ego-destroying confrontations with people who know how to do things, who tell you that your idea is dumb.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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The pyrotechnics, however, come from Amanda and Danielle, who get in one of those stupid fights that are only possible after a full day of drinking in a retro vehicle.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
-
Yes, Ken really is this stupid.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
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The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Armando Chavez, owner of local business NorCal Siders, was brought in for a simple roof patch-up but left with a big idea.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The fire initially grew into a huge inferno, creating a pillar of thick, black smoke that could be seen for miles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
That thick, ugly vein, the shrimp feeling, was gone.—
Sarah Miller,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oafish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oafish. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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