bonehead

American

[bohn-hed] / ˈboʊnˌhɛd /

noun

a foolish or stupid person; blockhead.

adjective

being of, by, or for a stupid or unthinking person.

a bonehead mistake.

bonehead British

/ ˈbəʊnˌhɛd /

noun

slang a stupid or obstinate person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of bonehead

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; bone ( def. ) + head

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

bonehead

Long story short, there are still evidently a lot of people around Pete Hegseth who think he is a big-league bonehead and would like everyone else to know it too.

From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2025

“But I’m hitting a lot of good shots. I’m just making so many bonehead mistakes.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2023

The Seahawks took a 17-16 lead into the half thanks to a bonehead play by Niners safety Jimmie Ward.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 14, 2023

“There are guys who have lots of experience who made bonehead plays in the playoffs,” Van Noy said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2023

He didn’t make fun of the bonehead who’d been driving the boat.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023