doofus

American

[doo-fuhs] / ˈdu fəs /

Or dufus

noun

plural

doofuses

Slang. a foolish or inept person.

doofus British

/ ˈduːfəs /

noun

informal a slow-witted or stupid 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

Etymology

Origin of doofus

An Americanism daing back to 1960–65; probably alteration of earlier goofus in same sense

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.

Kind of a big bully who was also a bit of a doofus.

From Literature

Blake Lively referred to Justin Baldoni as a "doofus director" and a "clown", according to newly unsealed court documents from the actress's legal case.

From BBC

Those doofuses on YouTube, spinning out in their jumped-up Ford Mustangs?

From The Wall Street Journal

Its crusader is a magnificent doofus trying to improve himself.

From Salon

Chubbs is a golf pro who takes it upon himself to coach Sandler’s eponymous doofus, a hockey player wannabe with talent for the more demure sport.

From New York Times

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