nitwit
noun
nit·wit ˈnit-ˌwit 
: a scatterbrained or stupid person
Synonyms
- berk [British]
- booby
- charlie [British]
- charley
- cuckoo
- ding-a-ling
- ding-dong
- dingbat
- dipstick
- doofus [slang]
- featherhead
- fool
- git [British]
- goose
- half-wit
- jackass
- lunatic
- mooncalf
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nut
- nutcase
- simp
- simpleton
- turkey
- yo-yo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Don't be such a nitwit. don't be a nitwit—wear a seat belt!
Recent Examples on the Web Dunst sleepwalks through this noxious comedy based on Toby Young’s 2001 memoir of the same name, playing a writer who takes a reluctant liking to Pegg’s infantile nitwit. 
Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021 Like that nitwit in Mobile -- a hotbed for COVID -- who filed two bills that would make controlling the virus even more difficult. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2021 These things get passed around via emails from one gullible and naive nitwit to the next. Tom Margenau, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2020 One theory that has a certain elegance and simplicity is that Trump is a nitwit. Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 4 July 2020 The abuse of the apostrophe by nitwits has been going on for quite some time. Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2020 Which is why more courageous states have agencies that actually protect the land and water from polluters and environmental marauders and nitwits. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 27 Sep. 2019 Or the nitwit in Gulfport, Mississippi, who menaced shoppers at a Wal-Mart by loading and racking shells into a shotgun a few weeks ago, forcing an evacuation of the store. Kurt Eichenwald, Newsweek, 16 July 2015 This nitwit didn’t even pass his own pledge of kindness. Michael Arceneaux, The Root, 7 Sep. 2017 See More
Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2021 Like that nitwit in Mobile -- a hotbed for COVID -- who filed two bills that would make controlling the virus even more difficult. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2021 These things get passed around via emails from one gullible and naive nitwit to the next. Tom Margenau, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2020 One theory that has a certain elegance and simplicity is that Trump is a nitwit. Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 4 July 2020 The abuse of the apostrophe by nitwits has been going on for quite some time. Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2020 Which is why more courageous states have agencies that actually protect the land and water from polluters and environmental marauders and nitwits. John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 27 Sep. 2019 Or the nitwit in Gulfport, Mississippi, who menaced shoppers at a Wal-Mart by loading and racking shells into a shotgun a few weeks ago, forcing an evacuation of the store. Kurt Eichenwald, Newsweek, 16 July 2015 This nitwit didn’t even pass his own pledge of kindness. Michael Arceneaux, The Root, 7 Sep. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
probably from German dialect nit not + English wit
First Known Use
1914, in the meaning defined above
nitwit
noun
1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment don't be a nitwit—wear a seat belt! Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- lunatic
- fool
- idiot
- moron
- goose
- dingbat
- doofus
- jackass
- simpleton
- nincompoop
- ninny
- nut
- nutcase
- half-wit
- monkey
- booby
- cuckoo
- turkey
- loser
- mooncalf
- charlie
- berk
- simp
- dolt
- dipstick
- git
- imbecile
- nit
- dummy
- knucklehead
- ninnyhammer
- ignoramus
- daredevil
- dunce
- featherhead
- charley
- ding-a-ling
- donkey
- ding-dong
- airhead
- numbskull
- blockhead
- madman
- numskull
- pinhead
- madwoman
- goon
- schnook
- yo-yo
- birdbrain
- know-nothing
- dork
- scatterbrain
- fathead
- schlub
- chump
- shlub
- character
- dope
- gander
- laughingstock
- kook
- schlump
- weirdo
- screwball
- dupe
- crackpot
- schlemiel
- dodo
- codger
- butt
- mockery
- dumbbell
- oddball
- stock
- crank
- featherbrain
- shlemiel
- crackbrain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- genius
- brain
- thinker
- sage
2
as in idiot
a stupid person an absolute nitwit as far as geography is concerned Synonyms & Similar Words
- idiot
- moron
- stupid
- lunatic
- dimwit
- dolt
- dummy
- imbecile
- prat
- loser
- fool
- ignoramus
- knucklehead
- dunce
- dullard
- dunderhead
- airhead
- bonehead
- doofus
- chucklehead
- mutt
- lunkhead
- blockhead
- goose
- numbskull
- jackass
- simpleton
- cretin
- numskull
- nincompoop
- oaf
- ninny
- pinhead
- donkey
- dummkopf
- nimrod
- loon
- natural
- lamebrain
- meathead
- stupe
- goon
- schnook
- dumbhead
- yahoo
- goof
- half-wit
- birdbrain
- schlub
- hardhead
- know-nothing
- fathead
- clown
- dork
- ratbag
- jerk
- turkey
- gander
- deadhead
- dope
- chowderhead
- bubblehead
- shlub
- golem
- noddy
- cluck
- buffoon
- dodo
- nit
- saphead
- dumbbell
- clunk
- mome
- hammerhead
- villain
- dip
- noodle
- dum-dum
- loggerhead
- dim bulb
- lump
- loony
- ninnyhammer
- woodenhead
- stock
- cuddy
- clodpole
- thickhead
- madman
- clodpoll
- clot
- dumb cluck
- skunk
- booby
- cuddie
- zany
- yo-yo
- snake
- mug
- nut
- boor
- scatterbrain
- creep
- cad
- gawk
- beast
- heel
- stinker
- cur
- churl
- featherbrain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- genius
- brain
- intellectual
- thinker
- sage
- intellect
- whiz
- wizard
- polymath
- sharpie
- Renaissance man
- sharpy
3
as in ditz
a silly flighty person a nitwit who never should have been given a position of responsibility in the company Synonyms & Similar Words
- ditz
- silly
- fool
- scatterbrain
- goose
- flibbertigibbet
- birdbrain
- cuckoo
- simpleton
- featherhead
- featherbrain
- rattlebrain
- softhead
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sobersides