as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
the oafishness of the investigators, who missed clues and mishandled physical evidence, is the reason why that crime was never solved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oafishness
Noun
-
Working in batches, add 2 meatballs to skillet; flatten each to 1/4-inch thickness using a wide sturdy spatula.—
Jasmine Smith,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026 -
By the Second World War, the steel alloys had improved in composition, metal fabrication methods made armor more homogeneous, and the thickness was increased to create much tougher plating.—
David Szondy
May 07,
New Atlas,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
That men like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are entrusted with businesses of tectonic influence can be difficult to understand, but their cults of personality have been able to survive scrutiny, perhaps because the money itself is too imposing a firewall for their own stupidity to penetrate.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Eric Swalwell, a prominent Democratic House member and a front-runner in the race for California governor, had his political career blown up by allegations of degeneracy and abject stupidity.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
At its base is 63% Hippophae rhamnoides (more commonly known as sea buckthorn) water, rich in naturally occurring antioxidants, paired with 5% niacinamide and 2% tranexamic acid to target dullness and dark spots without feeling stingy like a peel.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
9 May 2026
-
The flexible mask has three light modes to target common skin concerns, from fine lines to dullness and acne.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The slowness of encryption forces them to triage.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Julia's confession Fed up with local law enforcement's slowness and unresponsiveness, Christine and Katas eventually get FBI agent Dawn Martin on the case.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No, but the line captures the aristocracy’s witlessness.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There’s the White House and its malicious megaphone of mindlessness; the generative AI advocates and their pushy, pathetic ploys; the Major League Baseball owners and their dedication to self-destruction.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The show’s real villain is mindlessness, in other words.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The pressure brought forth both boneheadedness and brilliance.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Oafishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oafishness. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
