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. thick
  6. foolish
Adjective
  • That’s why we are drawn to do some of the dumber stuff when things get to their darkest.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
  • Mandylor is equally hilarious as a dumb thug who is so deserving of becoming shark bait.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • The case that American leadership in this technology carries a genuine security dimension has never looked stupid to me.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The women are in stupid costumes (Heather Gay is dressed as a leprechaun at one point) and yelling at one another for yet-unknown reasons.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Researchers used the device to process time-series data, including signals that contained both rapid and slow changes.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2026
  • However, there is another, slower and more insidious evacuation taking place, and that is the steady migration from rural areas all around the world to burgeoning cities, which now host more than half the world’s population.
    — John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • Abernathy Greenway Park walk with Trees Atlanta Take a walk through the park with a Trees Atlanta docent, who will teach simple tricks for telling trees apart and share stories about why trees are important and how to protect them.
    — Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Oldest Person in the World takes an ostensibly simple premise and explores its deeper resonance.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • The images her sister captured after the strike show the trajectory of the projectile, which ripped through floor after floor, and left a gaping hole covered in a thick layer of white dust.
    — Ava Bambuck, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Spread the vanilla Greek yogurt into an even layer, about ½ inch thick.
    — Sharon Lawson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • Drawing definitive conclusions from pre-season is foolish — but Lacey has shown his close control, pace, and scored an excellent goal in the previous friendly against Rosenborg.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of foolish

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 11 Aug. 2026.

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