🙄 Nonsense 🤪 A foolish person

flapdoodle

9.9

A person who says or does silly things

noun
/ˈflæpˌduːdəl/

Offensive

: idiota

She can be such a flapdoodle when she makes up stories that aren't true.

Examples

Flapdoodle.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)
The chapter "All Full of Tears and Flapdoodle" from Huckleberry Finn shows how Samuel Clemens made use of his knowledge of folk speech, the vernacular, as part of his stylistic revolution in American literature.

Academic text (1997)
That conspiracy theory is just a lot of flapdoodle with no basis in reality.
Don't listen to his complaints; he's being a complete flapdoodle about the situation.

Synonyms

doofus

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

34 8.0

A person who acts silly or seems not very smart

is harsher, stressing nonsensical words or actions rather than teasing

goof

vsflapdoodle

Informal

23 5.9

A person who acts silly to make others laugh

is more critical, focusing on senseless statements rather than mere amusement

airhead

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

16 8.8

A person who is silly and not very smart

is not just scatterbrained but often says or does nonsense

gomer

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

14 9.9

A person who acts silly or clumsy and makes others laugh

stresses speaking or acting in ways that make no sense rather than clumsiness

nincompoop

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

13 8.4

A person who acts in a very silly way

is more about speaking or acting in ways that make no sense

Muppet

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

12 9.5

A person who is foolish and makes silly mistakes

is broader, covering any nonsensical words or acts beyond mistakes

birdbrain

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

8 7.7

A person who is not very smart

is lighter, focusing on silly or nonsensical speech rather than deep incapacity

chucklehead

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

7 9.1

A person who is silly and acts foolishly

stresses making nonsense statements or senseless actions more than silly acts

cuckoo

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

6 8.4

A person who behaves in a silly or strange way

focuses specifically on speech or acts that seem nonsensical

doof

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

4 9.9

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

places extra weight on making little sense when speaking or acting

dingbat

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

4 9.2

A person who is silly and not thinking clearly

focuses on odd or nonsensical speech rather than emptiness alone

wacker

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

3 9.9

A person who acts foolishly or oddly

focuses more narrowly on senseless speech or senseless actions

chowderhead

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

3 9.9

A person who behaves in a silly or stupid way

is aimed more at nonsense behaviour and senseless remarks

bubble-head

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

2 9.5

A person who is silly and not serious

is more about saying or doing things that make no sense

bobo

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

2 9.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

is often playful rather than strongly insulting, and notes nonsense acts

wally

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

2 9.9

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

specifies those who say or do things that seem senseless

dumdum

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

2 8.8

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

focuses more on saying or doing things that make no sense

featherbrain

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

2 8.7

A person who is silly and not very bright

is specific about producing actions or words that lack sense

plonker

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A foolish person who often does stupid things

leans more toward describing nonsensical speech or behaviour

barney

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 8.8

A person who behaves in a silly or foolish way

places more emphasis on producing actions or words that make no sense

featherhead

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 8.9

A person who is silly and often forgets things

emphasizes making nonsensical remarks or acts rather than mere distraction

coconut head

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who acts foolishly and lacks common sense

highlights more odd speech or actions that seem nonsensical

divvy

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A foolish person who makes simple mistakes

is similar but focuses on making statements or actions that make no sense

blubberhead

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is specifically about saying or doing things that make no sense

whangdoodle

vsflapdoodle

Archaic

1 9.9

A person who acts in a silly, playful way

is less playful, stressing actions or words that simply make no sense

cheese monkey

vsflapdoodle

Slang

1 9.9

A person who acts silly and playful

is more critical, stressing words or acts that make no sense

McStupid

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A rude slang name for someone who acts foolish or makes silly mistakes

centres more on producing things that make no sense outwardly

timberdoodle

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

1 9.9

A foolish or awkward person

is less regional and highlights nonsensical speech or actions

tumshie

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

9.9

A foolish person who does silly things

is less regional and focuses on senseless speech or actions

guignol

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

9.9

A person who acts like a clown to make others laugh

is closer to simple nonsense in speech or action than theatrical clowning

pudden-head

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

9.9

A person who is not very smart

is more about producing nonsensical words or behaviour than low intelligence

dingling

vsflapdoodle

Offensive

9.9

A person who acts silly or foolish

adds that the person often speaks or acts without sense

Antonyms

wise

651 2.1

Showing good judgment from experience

sensible

185 2.7

Showing good judgment and making practical choices

How Foolish

idiot

Offensive

∞ 1.2

flapdoodle

Offensive

9.9

fool

Offensive

∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

flapdoodle singular

flapdoodles plural

Morphology

flapdoodle = flap + doodle (opaque) = flap + doodle

Although built from two real words, the slang compound's meaning ('fool' or 'nonsense') is a playful idiomatic coinage not directly predictable from 'flap' + 'doodle'.

Etymology

Flapdoodle likely began as a playful mix of flap ('a noisy movement or fuss') and doodle ('a silly person' or a simple drawing). So a flapdoodle is like a noisy, silly person who says or does foolish things.