SCREWBALL Synonyms: 177 Similar and Opposite Words

screwball 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of screwball

as in silly

showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment she's always off on some screwball plan

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

screwball

2 of 2

noun

ˈskrü-ˌbȯl

as in eccentric

a person of odd or whimsical habits a screwball who liked to save lint and bits of string

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 screwball

Adjective

The alternately suspenseful and silly scene nicely sets up the tone for this new season, which is infused with references to classic Westerns as much as screwball comedies. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026 Of all contemporary Gallic stars, Lellouche and Demoustier already feel slightly out of time, their features recalling both silent-era performers and screwball archetypes. — Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 May 2026

Noun

The screwball comedy is one of the great gifts that 1930s Hollywood gave us, but that genre didn’t win too many awards. — Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026 That’s priceless in a screwball murder movie in which everyone’s soul is for sale. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for screwball

Recent Examples of Synonyms for screwball

Adjective

The Astros’ rotation is in such a state that ruling anyone out as a candidate to start games seems silly, but their actions indicate Imai is something of a last resort.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
So, even though Jay spent the song drawing a line between his own sophistication and the rest of the rap world’s childish behavior, 13 years later, kids are turning his luxury flex into a silly dance.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of silly

Noun

Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.

— Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of eccentric

Adjective

Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.

— Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.

— Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stupid

Noun

And magically, the architects and designers have achieved this without compromising its unique character.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Captivated by the unknown, meeting characters as elusive as those in a Homer epic, Niaz sets in motion an irreversible process of self-transformation.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

There has been something almost absurd about Ferran Torres’ summer.

— Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
SpaceX’s Starlink constellation currently performs an average of 1,000 maneuvers a day to dodge potential collisions, a number that would have seemed absurd just a decade ago.

— Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of absurd

Noun

No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
The Ramones stood on stage not as rock gods or unattainable heroes, but as oddballs, misfits, and fellow outcasts in torn jeans.

— Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Definition of oddball

Browse Nearby Words

screw around

screwball

screwballs

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Style

“Screwball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/screwball. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of screwball

adjective

noun

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