lackwit

1 9.9

A person who is silly and not very clever

noun
/ˈlækˌwɪt/

Offensive

: mentecato

Because exposing these lackwits as the bullying poltroons they really are is doing a service.

Examples

Both were lackwit enough to venture near my lair; both were equally tasty, and both were plentiful.

Fiction book (2002)
With the knowledge you gained at the FDA, you can make a bigger impact within the company to ensure that everything is in compliance and that products that really are good, useful, and needed, which would otherwise be held up by some incompetent lackwit, actually make it to market in a timely manner.

Blog text (5)
I can't believe he fell for that trick; he's such a lackwit.
The committee was made up of a few lackwits who couldn't agree on anything.
Don't be a lackwit; think before you make a decision.

Synonyms

dummy

vslackwit

Offensive

115 6.0

A person who is seen as stupid or makes simple mistakes

is older and old-fashioned rather than this plain modern label

nitwit

vslackwit

Offensive

36 7.9

A person who acts silly and not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this casual modern word

half-wit

vslackwit

Offensive

15 8.9

A rude word for a person who seems very stupid

is older and old-fashioned rather than this offensive insult

dimwit

vslackwit

Offensive

14 7.7

A person who is not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this frequent informal term

ignoramus

vslackwit

Offensive

12 8.3

A person who does not know much

is older and old-fashioned rather than this knowledge-focused label

dunce

vslackwit

Offensive

11 6.1

A person who learns slowly or has trouble understanding

is older and old-fashioned rather than this educationally focused term

numbskull

vslackwit

Offensive

8 6.8

A person who is not very smart and often acts without thinking

is older and old-fashioned rather than this familiar contemporary name

dullard

vslackwit

Offensive

5 7.8

A person who is slow to understand things

is older and old-fashioned rather than this neutral descriptive term

dummkopf

vslackwit

Offensive

3 9.9

A rude name for a person who is very silly or not smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this harsh insulting word

lamebrain

vslackwit

Offensive

3 9.3

A person who is not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this slang insult

hammerhead

vslackwit

Offensive

3 8.4

A rude word for someone who is not smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this blunt informal label

dunderhead

vslackwit

Offensive

3 9.1

A person who often does foolish things or makes simple mistakes

is older and old-fashioned rather than this coarse insulting label

tosspot

vslackwit

Offensive

2 9.9

A person who often drinks too much and behaves foolishly

is older and old-fashioned rather than this mixed meaning term

dumbo

vslackwit

Offensive

2 8.7

A person who is not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this mild modern insult

stupid

vslackwit

Offensive

1 2.7

A person who is not intelligent and often makes poor choices

is older and old-fashioned rather than this broad modern word

dumbhead

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.8

A rude word for a person who is very stupid

is older and old-fashioned rather than this strong modern slang insult

mome

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is foolish and easily tricked

is older and old-fashioned rather than this similar archaic term

fatuus

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

An old word for a foolish or silly person

is older and old-fashioned rather than this archaic expression

pudding head

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this lighthearted modern label

dumb cluck

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.8

A person who acts in a silly or foolish way

is older and old-fashioned rather than this colloquial insult

loggerhead

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is very stupid or foolish

is older and old-fashioned rather than this coarse insulting term

simple

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who is not very intelligent

is older and old-fashioned rather than this casual everyday word

blubberhead

vslackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who behaves in a foolish way

is older and old-fashioned rather than this playful slang name

benet

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

A person who is simple and easily fooled

is older and old-fashioned rather than this slightly dated alternative

moper

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

An old word for a person who is foolish or slow to understand

is older and old-fashioned rather than this archaic label

nerts

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

A foolish or silly person said as an insult

is older and old-fashioned rather than this informal or dated insult

pudden-head

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

A person who is not very smart

is older and old-fashioned rather than this casual informal name

nar

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

A person who behaves in a silly way

is older and old-fashioned rather than this common informal insult

thicky

vslackwit

Offensive

9.9

A rude name for a person who is slow to understand

is older and old-fashioned rather than this informal insult

Antonyms

genius

252 4.9

A person with very strong intelligence or creative skill

intellectual

94 6.0

A person who thinks deeply about ideas, art, or science

How Foolish

idiot

Offensive

∞ 1.2

imbecile

Slur

60 8.8

lackwit

Offensive

1 9.9

fool

Offensive

∞ 1.4

simpleton

Offensive

21 7.3

Surface Forms

lackwit singular

lackwits plural

Morphology

lackwit = lack + wit (transparent) = lack + wit

Meaning is directly inferable as 'lacking wit' (a person without intelligence); components are productive and recognizable.

Etymology

Lackwit comes from the simple words lack and wit, meaning someone who 'lacks' 'wit' or 'sense'. That's why lackwit was an old-fashioned name for a foolish person.