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Synonyms

blockhead

American  
[blok-hed] / ˈblɒkˌhɛd /

noun

  1. a stupid, doltish person; dunce.

    Synonyms:
    booby, ignoramus, dullard, dolt, nitwit, fool

  2. Obsolete. a piece of wood in the shape of a head, heads, used as a block for hats or wigs.

blockhead British  
/ ˈblɒkˌhɛd /

noun

  1. derogatory a 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

Other Word Forms

  • blockheaded adjective
  • blockheadedly adverb
  • blockheadedness noun
  • blockheadism noun

Etymology

Origin of blockhead

First recorded in 1540–50; block + head

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.

He, like so many police officers we’ve seen, is a complete blockhead.

From Salon • Aug. 1, 2025

Peter Robbins, the former child actor who first put a voice to Charles Schultz’s lovable "blockhead" Charlie Brown has died, according to reports.

From Fox News • Jan. 26, 2022

And sometimes it’s the blockhead at the back of the room who didn’t do the summer reading assignment and needs time before being ready to start doing homework again.

From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2017

That honor, though, goes to another famous blockhead.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2015

"My good blockhead, I swear to you that it was put back in my drawer. Greatest surprise I ever had in my life when I found it there."

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

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.