airheaded
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: * Lacking in intelligence, seriousness, or common sense; frivolous and silly. Describes a person who is perceived as not thinking deeply, being easily distracted, or concerned with trivial matters. It implies a flighty or empty-headed quality.
Usage
This is an informal, often derogatory adjective used to criticize someone's perceived lack of seriousness or intellectual depth. It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "is" or "seems").
Examples
- Attributive use: "The movie's plot was ruined by the airheaded protagonist who kept making absurd decisions."
- Predicative use: "Don't be so airheaded; this is a serious financial decision."
- "His airheaded comments during the meeting frustrated the entire team."
- "She seems airheaded when she talks about celebrities, but she's actually a brilliant engineer."
Advanced Usage
- The term can sometimes carry a gendered connotation, historically and stereotypically applied more often to women. Modern usage seeks to avoid this bias.
- It can describe temporary states induced by distraction or infatuation: "He's been completely airheaded ever since he met her."
Variants and Related Words
- Airhead (noun): A person characterized as being airheaded.
- Example: "He's a lovable airhead, but you can't rely on him for complex tasks."
Synonyms
- Flighty: Suggesting frivolity and a lack of concentration.
- Ditzy (informal): Very similar in meaning, implying silliness and scatterbrained behavior.
- Featherbrained: Foolish and lacking in seriousness.
- Scatterbrained: Disorganized and prone to forgetting things.
Antonyms
- Serious
- Sensible
- Astute
- Thoughtful
Idioms and Phrases
- To have one's head in the clouds: To be out of touch with reality or practical matters, often daydreaming. This idiom describes a similar state of mind but is less directly insulting than "airheaded."
- Example: "Pay attention! You always have your head in the clouds."
Adjective
- lacking seriousness; given to frivolity
- a dizzy blonde
- light-headed teenagers
- silly giggles