Dunderhead

A 'dunderhead' is a person who is regarded as foolish, unintelligent, or slow-witted. This term often implies a lack of common sense, a tendency to make silly mistakes, or a general inability to grasp complex ideas. The word carries a strong connotation of disapproval, and it is typically used to describe someone perceived as being dim-witted or lacking in mental acuity. It may also be used humorously, but the underlying sentiment is one of gentle mockery or frustration with someone's perceived intellectual limitations. The etymology of the word is uncertain, but it is believed to have emerged in the United States in the 19th century. The use of the word shows a person's intellectual disapproval of another's intellectual inferiority.

Dunderhead meaning with examples

• After the comedian told the same joke three times and was still surprised when the audience didn't laugh, his fellow comedian called him a dunderhead. The comedian said, 'It wasn't even that funny the first time, I'm beginning to wonder how much the pressure to perform affected his IQ.'
• Sarah’s boss sighed and called her a dunderhead after she accidentally sent the confidential company documents to the wrong client. He later told Sarah he wasn't going to fire her because of her inexperience, but she needed to improve her focus to not be a dunderhead anymore.
• The history professor couldn't help but call out his student as a dunderhead when the student kept asking questions on subjects that had already been discussed, the professor said 'You weren't listening during the lesson!'. The professor thought the student was probably hungover from partying.
• During the debate, the candidate's constant misstatements of facts caused his advisor to quietly grumble, 'What a dunderhead!'. The advisor knew that he could have to deal with many more similar incidents during the remainder of the campaign and didn't know if he could.