oafish

Definition of oafishnext
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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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 oafish His last moments portray him too much as an oafish simpleton, which undercuts both Leela’s brilliance and Krish’s leadership instincts, and moves the the play towards devices that prioritize humor over organic truth. David John Chávez, Mercury News, 17 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oafish
Adjective
  • The friends aren’t dumb; they’ve just been baked for so long that acting dumb is a habit.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Perhaps in writing it, Salinger was trying to negotiate whether his remarkable survival through some of the war’s worst gauntlets could be chalked up to dumb luck, or divine intervention.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.
    Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.
    Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The challenge is that the hydrogen evolution reaction is slower in alkaline environments, increasing the need for catalysts that can deliver high activity without rapidly losing performance.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet premier and promised new openness with a policy of glasnost, a slow thaw would begin toward free speech, human rights, the release of political dissidents and relaxed restrictions on emigration.
    Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • With other phones, even something simple like replacing an aging battery often requires melting adhesive, prying apart fragile glass panels, and decoupling cables.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
  • For a generation that grew up under those glowing Pizza Hut pendants, the appeal is simple.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Everything about the deer seemed oversize, including the thick, bullish body that met a neck that looked at least 24 inches around at its smallest.
    Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Materials Professional agility courses where competitions are held use poles made from Polyvinyl chloride plastic pipes that are 3/4-inch thick and stand 40 inches tall.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oafish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oafish. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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