as in hulks
a big clumsy often slow-witted person
I wish he wouldn't bring over here that bunch of palookas he calls his friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palookas
Noun
-
Most lumps such as these are noncancerous lipomas, or fatty tumors, and a decision on whether to remove them is based on whether the lumps interfere with movements or threaten other issues.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026 -
And while some can work magic with a claw clip, others struggle to avoid lumps and bumps without invoking gels and wax.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The millions of dollars seeking to influence the outcome of Illinois’s races have been met with criticism from both winners and losers of these contests, sending a warning signal to major PACs and industries that the 2026 elections may be harder to influence than in previous cycles.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The quarterfinal losers went into playoffs at the Gold Coast for the fifth and sixth spots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Jack Balderrama Morley examines the beautiful, terrible, villains of reality television.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are complicated brain-chemistry factors involved that have to do with testosterone, and dopaminergic systems, and kappa-opioid receptors, all of which seem to add up to a Jim Gaffigan joke about how men are morons compared with their wives.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What sets Brule apart from fellow idiots in similar setups like Borat or Philomena Cunk is Reilly’s ability to present Brule with deep pathos and a sense of mystery, offering glimpses into a dark backstory, all made unsettling by the show’s analog-horror aesthetic.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
-
One gets the sense, reading DuBois, that Stanton’s fervor for political action stemmed from a dread of being governed by idiots.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Much of the rising interest is tied to claims that these mixed pooches possess more desirable aspects than many purebreeds or mutts.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The cuddly canines and spirited mutts making up Team Fluff and Team Ruff will battle for the coveted Lombarky Trophy, while also playing up for the cameras in hopes of finding their forever home.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
How did clowns become a protest symbol?—
Janet W. Lee,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
-
And, yeah, it’s run by unworthy—the clowns are the best one.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Raccoons, skunks, crows, and moles feed on lawn grubs.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
9 Mar. 2026
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
“Palookas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palookas. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
