as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
he was a helpless mooncalf when it came to making decisions about even the most trivial things
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Recent Examples of mooncalf
Assholes can make great music, as can liars, hypocrites, mooncalves, illiterates, teenagers, and borderline personalities, but right-wingers cannot.
—
Rob Tannenbaum, The Cut, 23 June 2017
Rob Tannenbaum, The Cut, 23 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooncalf
Noun
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These could be people that play Devil’s advocate or, like Shakespeare’s fools, challenge ideas and thinking.—
George Bradt,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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Flecks of mica and pyrite and who knows what, but only fools and greenhorns mistake it for gold.—
John Archibald,
Southern Living,
25 May 2025
Noun
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To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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And here a duck has made her nest Six brown eggs in a bed of twigs, More artful than any window display, More precious than a golden egg Laid by a golden goose.—
contributing Monitor poets,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Korda has declared that, because his nine sons are, frankly, nincompoops and rapscallions, Liesl will be the sole heir to his fortune.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 May 2025
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Paired alongside Williams and Dunst’s airheads, Ferrell plays a nincompoop Bob Woodward, but the role doesn’t give him much of a chance to cut loose.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Americans are advised to eat more fruits and vegetables, include a variety of protein sources—seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes, soy products, and unsalted nuts/seeds—and opt for protein sources lower in solid fats and calories.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Apr. 2025
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But this time, his front-right tire was slow to come off, seemingly as the wheel gun did not connect with the wheel nut on the first attempt.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mooncalf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooncalf. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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