1
as in geese
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
only a turkey would think it's a good idea to go for a jog when the weather drops below zero
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiots
a stupid person
you turkey, that wasn't my boyfriend—it was my brother!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disasters
something that has failed
his business venture ended up being a turkey, and he lost quite a bit of money on it
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 turkeys
Nicola said three of the four turkeys were rescue animals with deformed feet that had been sitting on eggs when they were taken.
—
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
Other species, including wild turkeys and coyotes, may also frequent bird feeders — which can lead to more human-wildlife conflict.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
The turkeys were Albert, Bernie, Hip and Hop.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Two miles of paths wind through formal gardens, a wildflower meadow, and an arboretum with wild turkeys at Lauritzen Gardens, along the Missouri River Valley south of downtown Omaha.
—Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 9 Apr. 2026
To me, the turkeys seem very, very cautious at this time.
—Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
The berries are favorites of turkeys, bears, foxes, and possums in the fall, while the flowers are attractive and a huge attractant for pollinators.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
For residents, the town does monthly food drives in cooperation with Farm Share, family and holiday events in Oglesby Park and Town Hall and giveaways of Christmas gifts, school supplies, bicycles and turkeys.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
North Zone hunters and four counties on the South Texas Sand Sheet (Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy) could previously harvest female turkeys during the fall season.
—Matt Wyatt, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
Other species, including wild turkeys and coyotes, may also frequent bird feeders — which can lead to more human-wildlife conflict.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
The turkeys were Albert, Bernie, Hip and Hop.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Two miles of paths wind through formal gardens, a wildflower meadow, and an arboretum with wild turkeys at Lauritzen Gardens, along the Missouri River Valley south of downtown Omaha.
—Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 9 Apr. 2026
To me, the turkeys seem very, very cautious at this time.
—Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
The berries are favorites of turkeys, bears, foxes, and possums in the fall, while the flowers are attractive and a huge attractant for pollinators.
—Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
For residents, the town does monthly food drives in cooperation with Farm Share, family and holiday events in Oglesby Park and Town Hall and giveaways of Christmas gifts, school supplies, bicycles and turkeys.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
North Zone hunters and four counties on the South Texas Sand Sheet (Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy) could previously harvest female turkeys during the fall season.
—Matt Wyatt, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turkeys
Noun
-
The geese managed to disable both of the plane’s engines at 2,800 feet, but Sully's successful river landing ensured everyone on board survived.—
Meena Thiruvengadam,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Snow geese lifted north from refuge marshes.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 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
-
Trump has expressed a desire to push more responsibility for disasters down to states.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
His boldest innovation is to invoke not past glories but past disasters, summoning the ghosts of the United States’ catastrophic interventions in Iraq.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Secretary of State Marco Rubio wasn’t far behind, saying the war is being waged against religious lunatics.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The danger is in doing nothing as theocratic lunatics continue to weaponize with atomic bombs and modern missile delivery systems.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
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
-
The city now has a golden opportunity to learn from past failures by adopting a fairer, more accountable standard.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Severe storms on Monday night at the weir in the West Michigan community of Manistee caused a series of power failures to the holding tanks and the equipment that keep steelhead alive during egg collection efforts, the DNR said.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Plain oats are nutritious on their own, but adding seeds, nuts, and fruit can provide a wider range of vitamins and minerals while increasing fiber and protein.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Chopped nuts would add nice crunch.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Most hospital training labs use basic dummies or simple mannequins to teach medical skills.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Over the next two years, Chris filmed the mosquitoes circling the Styrofoam dummies mercilessly.—
David Hu,
The Conversation,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turkeys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turkeys. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
