empty-headed

adjective

ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhe-dəd How to pronounce empty-headed (audio)
Definition of empty-headednext
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily got tired of being treated like an empty-headed lackey and quit to start a business

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 empty-headed As a result, his voice was confident, clear, and amplified by an empty-headed belief in his own good intentions. — Will MacKin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 Gosling earned an Oscar nomination for his role as the empty-headed Ken, while Ferrell played the goofy CEO of Mattel. — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 July 2025 Andrew Cunningham Pokémon NPCs usually spout empty-headed pleasantries about the wonders of Pokémon; the NPCs in Palworld set a darker tone from the start. — Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2024 Fairly or not, NOFX and its Warped Tour compatriots are easily written off as empty-headed, obnoxious, adolescent bros. Fat Mike’s capitalist streak rubs many purists the wrong way. — Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty-headed
  1. dumb
  2. stupid
  3. slow
  4. simple
  5. foolish
  6. thick
Adjective
  • There are even times when an NFL coach will say or do something really dumb that makes news.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Our cybersecurity defenses were built for lone hackers and dumb swarms.
    — Michael Morris, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • Trump’s super intelligence rebrand can ultimately be read in a couple ways, though arguably neither are particularly nuanced or incisive — just further indicative of the daily deluge of stupid.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Once upon a time, the idea that the world was growing stupider was mostly confined to the realm of dyspeptic reactionary polemic.
    — James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Because mRNA technology bypasses the slow process of growing viruses in eggs, mRNA manufacturing allows for later influenza strain selection and fast production, unlike traditional vaccines.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • After his sudden death in 1960, Olivetti began a slow decline and was eventually broken up and merged with a telecommunications company.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • That single choice unleashes a harrowing chain of strange and terrifying events in the dead of night, turning a simple gesture of kindness into a real-life nightmare.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Waffles and pimento Another enduring element of Chick-fil-A is its famously simple menu.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Soaking the suburbs over parking is reminiscent of other foolish, revenue-grabbing ideas, such as a congestion tax aimed at outsiders as a way to gin up money to cover Chicago’s ever-present budget black hole.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • With Oracle having lost more than $20 billion in stock-market value today, this appears to be penny-wise and pound foolish.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • The theme spills out into a walled garden, where the pool (which could have been a Raj pond in a past life) is lined with white parasols and thick, cushioned loungers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • His lovely camel-hair coat and thick scarf on this cold day gave him an air of elegance.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of thick

Browse Nearby Words

empty
empty-headed
emptying
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Cite this Entry

“Empty-headed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty-headed. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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