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bonehead

bonehead

39 7.9
A person who does silly things without thinking
  • noun
  • /ˈboʊnˌhɛd/
  • Offensive
: idiota (ofensivo, coloquial)
  • They're just bonehead mistakes, and we just need to get rid of them.
  • a bonehead mistake
  • a bonehead move
  • call someone a bonehead

And whether you're an WNBA player or you just some bonehead that walked into the wrong situation, your government should not abandon you ever, ever.

Examples

  • That was such a bonehead move.

  • But I do know that there's more important things to worry about than that bonehead.

  • I hate to say it, but it is possible with our bonehead Congress and House.

    Blog text (12)
  • I feel like such a bonehead.

  • The fake field goal in the first half on 4th and 12 was a bonehead call.

    Blog text (13)
  • That's a bonehead move right there.

  • The crowd booed me because even they knew it was a bonehead move.

    Blog text (1)
  • How many games have been completely upended by bonehead mistakes, big turnovers, or generally just inexplicable play?

    Blog text (31)
  • We need smart people in economics like Paul Krugman to rescue us from the damage done by boneheads like Alan Greenspan.

  • After forgetting the instructions, he realized he was a real bonehead for not listening.

Synonyms

dickhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
80 9.9

A rude name for a person who is stupid and annoying

focuses only on lack of sense, not annoyance
shithead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
65 9.9

A rude word for a person who is very stupid and unpleasant

is a neutral term that avoids vulgarity and contempt
dumbass
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
61 9.9

A rude word for someone who does something very stupid

is the neutral characterization without offensive slang
knucklehead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
47 8.1

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is the general term without the informal tone
pinhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
23 8.7

A person who makes silly mistakes

is a fuller description focusing on lack of good sense
fuckhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
21 9.9

A rude insulting word for someone who is very stupid or unpleasant

is nonvulgar and only describes lack of good sense
airhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
16 8.8

A person who is silly and not very smart

is a plain statement about being lacking in good sense
blockhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
13 8.2

A person who is stupid or slow to understand things

is the broader phrase describing lack of good sense
dunce
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
10 6.1

A person who learns slowly or has trouble understanding

is a broader description of lacking good sense, not learning speed
lunkhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
7 9.7

A person who is not very smart

is the general label rather than casual slang
fathead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
7 8.2

A person who is foolish and not very smart

is a descriptive label without extra harshness
chucklehead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
7 9.1

A person who is silly and acts foolishly

is a direct statement of lacking good sense rather than playfulness
numskull
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
5 8.9

A person who is very stupid

is a softer description of lacking good sense
dunderhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
3 9.1

A person who often does foolish things or makes simple mistakes

is slightly more colloquial and judgemental in tone
jughead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
3 9.9

Someone who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is a straightforward description of lacking good sense
chowderhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A person who behaves in a silly or stupid way

is a general modern label for lacking good sense
dopehead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
2 9.9

A person people insult by saying they are stupid

focuses only on lack of good sense without implication of drugs
stupidhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
2 9.5

A childish name used to call someone silly

is a general insult usable by speakers of any age
skunkhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

An unpleasant or foolish person said as an insult

is only about lack of sense, not unpleasant character
stupid-head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.1

A playful insult for a person who acts silly

is a neutral way to state lack of good sense
featherhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 8.9

A person who is silly and often forgets things

is a direct judgement of lacking good sense rather than lightness
dumbhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.8

A rude word for a person who is very stupid

is a neutral description of lacking good sense
potato head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 8.4

A person who behaves in a foolish or silly way

is a neutral statement about lacking good sense
knothead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts foolish or refuses to listen

is neutral about stubbornness, focusing on lack of sense
hammerhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 8.4

A rude word for someone who is not smart

is a neutral description of lacking good sense
pudding head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is not very smart

is a descriptive phrase that may sound less blunt
conehead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

An insulting word for a person who does foolish things

is a broader, neutral description of lacking good sense
muttonhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts in a silly or stupid way

is a general label that is less directly insulting
loggerhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is very stupid or foolish

is a plain term for being foolish without that nuance
dumb cluck
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.8

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

is a general label not tied specifically to incompetence
leatherhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

An insulting name for a stupid person

is a general label without necessarily being rude
coconut head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts foolishly and lacks common sense

is a straightforward label for lack of good sense
bum head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who behaves in a silly or careless way

is a plain label for lacking good sense without playfulness
blubberhead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is focused on lack of sense rather than emotion
addle-head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who often thinks in a confused or silly way

is a general label for foolishness, not only confusion
puzzlehead
vsbonehead
  • Slang
1 9.7

A person who is often confused or forgetful

labels lack of sense generally, not only confusion
total butthead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is very foolish and annoys others

is milder and does not imply extreme annoyance
saphead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who acts like a fool and makes poor decisions

is a general insult that may be harsher or playful
hoghead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

An insulting word for a rude or stupid person

is a more neutral description without the coarse tone
pudden-head
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is not very smart

is a clear modern description of lacking good sense
addlehead
vsbonehead
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is foolish and cannot think clearly

is a general judgement focusing on lack of good sense

Antonyms

694 4.9

A person with very strong intelligence or creative skill

651 2.1

Showing good judgment from experience

34 2.7

Showing good judgment and practical sense

How Stupid

idiot
  • Offensive
∞ 1.2
fool
  • Offensive
∞ 1.4
bonehead
  • Offensive
39 7.9
blockhead
  • Offensive
13 8.2
silly
  • Informal
40 7.4

Surface Forms

bonehead singular
boneheads plural

Morphology

bonehead = bone + head (semi-transparent) = bone + head

The components 'bone' and 'head' are obviously identifiable, but the compound is a slang/pejorative metaphor for a stupid person rather than a literal description.

Etymology

Bonehead is made from the simple parts bone and head, which gives the image of a head that is only bone or very hard. That's a helpful way to remember that a bonehead is someone who cannot think well, a 'fool' or a person who acts without good sense, much like blockhead.