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

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 confess it was more than a little jarring to see my beloved scatterbrained Mrs. Oliver turned into Fey’s stylish, fast-talking writer on the make.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2023

What I’m experiencing is often called “mommy brain”— the forgetful, foggy and scatterbrained feeling many pregnant women and new mothers experience.

From Washington Post • Oct. 8, 2021

As Mr. Prud’homme looked at him and listened to the scatterbrained eloquence of his explanation, he could be seen rapidly losing his grip on sternness.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles