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Definition of knuckleheaded

knuckleheaded

/ˈnʌk.əlˌhɛd.ɪd/
knuck · le · head · ed
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knuckleheaded Lexical Profile

knuckleheaded Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

North American Stupid, foolish, inept, or stubbornly obtuse (informal).

Example

"Looking back, he admitted that skipping the final exam was a completely knuckleheaded decision."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for knuckleheaded
Antonyms
View all antonyms for knuckleheaded

• Rhymes for knuckleheaded

• Nearby Words

knucklebone
knuckleduster
knucklehead
knuckleheaded
knurled
ko
koa

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in mid-20th-century American English from the noun 'knucklehead', humorously comparing a stubborn or dull person's skull to a hard, bony knuckle.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Knuckleheaded. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/knuckleheaded
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