daft
Americanadjective
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senseless, stupid, or foolish.
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insane; crazy.
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Scot. merry; playful; frolicsome.
adjective
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informal foolish, simple, or stupid
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a slang word for insane
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informal extremely fond (of)
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slang frivolous; giddy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of daft
before 1000; Middle English dafte uncouth, awkward; earlier, gentle, meek, Old English dæfte; cf. deft
Explanation
Daft means "foolish, wacky, or nutty." like your daft idea of wearing flip-flops to hike through the snow so that you didn't ruin your boots. When the adjective daft is used, you know something extremely silly or obviously goofy is involved — like setting all your money on fire to keep warm, instead of just using it to buy a coat. Some synonyms for daft are absurd, ridiculous, senseless and idiotic, so if someone calls you "daft," maybe you should rethink what you are trying to accomplish: Is there a better way to do it?
Vocabulary lists containing daft
The Crucible
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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:
Still, for the most part, the storytelling is daft fun; Holly and Arabella may not really get anywhere, but Ms. Cavalli should certainly keep going.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
"Norwegians are as daft about football as the Scots and I was amazed to discover the number of Doonhamers who are related to or have friends who are Norwegians," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
At the time, England's David James was one of several players to criticise the ball, saying it would "allow extra goals" and "make some goalkeepers look daft".
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
Just how daft was made clearer by this week’s response from Mr. Griffin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
"You're daft, the both of you," Julian said.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
Maybe you think it could be longer, louder, downright dafter?
From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2022
Of all golden-age fallacies, none is dafter than that there was a time when politicians purveyed unvarnished truth.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 26, 2017
Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories Totally undanceable, dafter than ever—and a wire-to-wire triumph.
From Slate ● May 21, 2013
At the dafter odds of 100-1, Tarquinius is also capable of a big effort.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 6, 2013
What could be dafter Than John Skelton's laughter?
From Fairies and Fusiliers by Robert Graves
"It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I'll be back."
From BBC ● May 18, 2024
Still, in Linda Coverdale's fluent translation, he comes across as the brainiest, daftest, sternest, funniest, most companionable hermit you'll ever meet.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 1, 2013
"It's one of the daftest mistakes of my life," he says.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2012
Brian Griffith's hunk of brick-built cake is the daftest and most inert of them.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 19, 2010
I often tell him he's the daftest in a' the house.—But what are they making sic a skirling for?—Deil ane o' them's get in here—it wadna be mensfu'!
From The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 2 by Sir Walter Scott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
