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
Female turkeys produce more female offspring under hunting pressure.
—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
While geese have made up the majority of the New Jersey fatalities, avian influenza also poses a risk to chickens, turkeys and ducks.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Kafer continues the bias against wolves by insinuating that the state has reintroduced lynx, elk, moose, turkeys, grouse, ferrets, and now wolverines based on science, but not wolves.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
All the chickens, turkeys, goats, and pigs carry a certain odor, their makeshift habitat a distinct unsightliness, which disagree with Bruce and his husband Darrell’s more regal tastes.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Connecticut’s top agricultural products include floriculture, milk and other dairy products, chicken eggs, cattle and calves and turkeys, the USDA said.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Censori cooked Thanksgiving for their friends—two turkeys, two mac and cheeses, two collard greens.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Several types of animals are raised at the farm including sheep, cattle, turkeys, hogs, and miniature donkeys.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Some chefs dedicate themselves to tasting menus of one-bite intricacies, with every microgreen tweezered into place and every sauce drizzled just so; others master the art of deep-frying turkeys.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
While geese have made up the majority of the New Jersey fatalities, avian influenza also poses a risk to chickens, turkeys and ducks.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Kafer continues the bias against wolves by insinuating that the state has reintroduced lynx, elk, moose, turkeys, grouse, ferrets, and now wolverines based on science, but not wolves.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
All the chickens, turkeys, goats, and pigs carry a certain odor, their makeshift habitat a distinct unsightliness, which disagree with Bruce and his husband Darrell’s more regal tastes.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Connecticut’s top agricultural products include floriculture, milk and other dairy products, chicken eggs, cattle and calves and turkeys, the USDA said.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Censori cooked Thanksgiving for their friends—two turkeys, two mac and cheeses, two collard greens.
—Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Several types of animals are raised at the farm including sheep, cattle, turkeys, hogs, and miniature donkeys.
—Mike Darnay, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Some chefs dedicate themselves to tasting menus of one-bite intricacies, with every microgreen tweezered into place and every sauce drizzled just so; others master the art of deep-frying turkeys.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turkeys
Noun
-
Hundreds of geese have reportedly died in New Jersey, and bird flu is suspected to be the culprit.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Andrew Halter of the Gloucester County Office of Emergency Management said hazmat units were called out to the lake on Tuesday morning for reports of sick and dying geese.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His strict and meticulous methodologies taught some of the smartest people on the planet how to behave like complete idiots, paving the way for a new generation of red-nosed fools to pratfall onto the stage.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Franchises are lost because of proud idiots.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In 2024, the country experienced 27 separate billion-dollar disasters, totaling roughly $183 billion, up from nearly $93 billion the year before.—
Yoca Arditi-Rocha,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
This designation places the mission on the same official level of seriousness as the fatal Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2023) shuttle disasters.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Even then, though, the popular take — the story of the lunatics taking over asylum — didn’t sit right with me.—
Paul Fischer,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Beating these lunatics was incredible, right?—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Increasingly, the aging building has been experiencing system failures that include the boilers and chillers, electrical infrastructure, plumbing and roof leaks, the City Council was told.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
These failures help contribute to the lack of confidence Americans in general have in Democrats’ ability to run things — their governmental competence.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After iftar, the evening meal that breaks their daytime fast, families gather to watch their picks from the year’s crop of soap operas and political and historical dramas, snacking on sweets and nuts and drinking tea and coffee until late into the night.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Tiger nuts may aid digestion, support weight loss, regulate blood sugar, boost heart and immune health, and reduce inflammation.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The trophies handed out during the Grammys presentation are dummies that are reused each year.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Becker, 31, is one of the few young adults pursuing the fading art, which sees her sharing a stage with two dummies named Jerry and Ronnie.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
23 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turkeys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turkeys. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
