scatterbrained

British  

/ ˈskætəˌbreɪnd /

adjective

1. exhibiting or characterized by lack of serious thought or concentration; disorganized; silly

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Explanation

When you're feeling scatterbrained, you're confused and rattled. Many people feel a little scatterbrained when they first wake up in the morning, before they've had their coffee. The adjective scatterbrained is perfect for describing someone who's disorganized, flighty, and maybe a little silly. A scatterbrained teacher might spend ten minutes looking for his glasses before realizing, to the amusement of his class, that they're on his head. You might feel scatterbrained if you show up for an appointment on the wrong day, and you can call yourself a scatterbrain. Both words have been used in English since the mid-1700s to describe easily distracted people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scatterbrained

Typical of the movie’s scatterbrained nature is the small drama it creates, then discards, about Guthrie’s past: He lived in Germany for years, though no one seems interested in whether this ended before the war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025

Admirers call the animal “Bullwinkle” or “Rutt,” the latter in homage to a scatterbrained moose from the movie “Brother Bear.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2023

I got scatterbrained and stupid; I fumbled little things like my schedule and my shopping list.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2023

McCurdy’s character, Sam, starred in Nickelodeon spinoff “Sam & Cat” with Ariana Grande — who played scatterbrained redhead Cat Valentine in the network’s series “Victorious” — but it lasted for only one year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2021

She thought of how his eyes shone with merriment when he made up small jokes, which he did frequently, and how invariably kind he was to his small, scatterbrained sister Cynthia.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien