screwball 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of screwballnext
as in silly
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment she's always off on some screwball plan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

screwball

2 of 2

noun

ˈskrü-ËŒbȯl How to pronounce screwball (audio)
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits a screwball who liked to save lint and bits of string

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 screwball
Adjective
The alternately suspenseful and silly scene nicely sets up the tone for this new season, which is infused with references to classic Westerns as much as screwball comedies. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026 Of all contemporary Gallic stars, Lellouche and Demoustier already feel slightly out of time, their features recalling both silent-era performers and screwball archetypes. — Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
Noun
The screwball comedy is one of the great gifts that 1930s Hollywood gave us, but that genre didn’t win too many awards. — Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026 That’s priceless in a screwball murder movie in which everyone’s soul is for sale. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for screwball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwball
  1. silly
  2. eccentric
  3. stupid
  4. character
  5. absurd
  6. oddball
  7. foolish
  8. original
Adjective
  • The Astros’ rotation is in such a state that ruling anyone out as a candidate to start games seems silly, but their actions indicate Imai is something of a last resort.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • So, even though Jay spent the song drawing a line between his own sophistication and the rest of the rap world’s childish behavior, 13 years later, kids are turning his luxury flex into a silly dance.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of silly
Noun
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
  • No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of eccentric
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
Definition of stupid
Noun
  • The Oscar-winning actress has written a new musical stage adaptation around the character, set to open on London’s prestigious theater scene in the summer of 2027.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The entire ensemble of cast led by Manoj, Divya, and Boman bring an incredible depth to their characters.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of character
Adjective
  • The roster might as well be an All-Star team, and this pitching staff is absurd.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The very idea of a trade war with Canada — our neighbor, our ally, our closest friend, a nation that’s peaceful and whose people have a reputation for kindness — is absurd.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of absurd
Noun
  • No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Ramones stood on stage not as rock gods or unattainable heroes, but as oddballs, misfits, and fellow outcasts in torn jeans.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of oddball
Adjective
  • But Americans would be foolish to think that Washington is anywhere near solving this problem.
    — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • That’s economically foolish and potentially devastating for patients.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of foolish
Noun
  • The streamer will also aim to double the number of local originals produced across these five countries compared to 2026.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The plan for the new Balan’s is not to mimic the original, which first opened in 1997, in every respect.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of original

Browse Nearby Words

screw around
screwball
screwballs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Screwball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwball. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on screwball

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about screwball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cogent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All