CUCKOO Synonyms: 222 Similar and Opposite Words

cuckoo 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of cuckoo

as in foolish

showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment offered a completely cuckoo suggestion for using the defunct strip mall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cuckoo

2 of 2

noun

ˈkü-(ˌ)kü

as in lunatic

a person who lacks good sense or judgment one cuckoo at the campground tried to boil soup in a plastic cup

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in goose

a silly flighty person didn't want to be among those cuckoos who race around the mall the day before Christmas

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of cuckoo

Adjective

In the Disney film, Geppetto is a maker of toys and cuckoo clocks living in a vaguely European half-timber house. — Perri Klass, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2022 In the midst of such cuckoo-ness, my son, Isaac, and daughter-in-law, Lennon, had the courage to bring a child into this world. — New York Times, 15 Mar. 2022

Noun

There in Bauhus’s office, a cuckoo springs out of the little house on the wall—that sleek, modern clock, missing the detail of tradition but still gesturing at something. — Kendra Atleework, Longreads, 12 Mar. 2026 Under the current Gateway plan, those repairs don’t happen until 2040, which is cuckoo, especially if imminent failure is feared. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cuckoo

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cuckoo

Adjective

When his splitter is at its best, Cruz makes opposing hitters look foolish.

— Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
But Americans would be foolish to think that Washington is anywhere near solving this problem.

— Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of foolish

Noun

Republicans see an opportunity here, portraying progressive and socialist Democrats as lunatics and communists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
While sane Americans were celebrating the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, the lunatics in Portland, Oregon were cheering along as two men made out on a baseball field during a 'Heated Rivalry' theme night.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of lunatic

Noun

Crown Royal whisky, goose down jackets, ice-hockey equipment and a long list of other Canadian goods could become much more expensive for American consumers.

— Amy B Wang, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2026
Taylor Sheridan is Paramount's golden goose right now, creating the ultra-popular Yellowstone franchise along with a passel of other shows.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 July 2026

Definition of goose

Adjective

Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.

— Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.

— Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of stupid

Noun

But don’t let the cute style fool you—this look is super practical, too.

— Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
However, reinventing Beethoven at the Bowl, doing so following Dudamel and with little rehearsal time, could easily become a fool’s errand.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of fool

Noun

The glamorous Emmy winner known for Loewe red-carpet looks and starring on prestige dramedy The Bear is returning to full-bore silly in order to play America’s favorite beagle.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
It was shot in portrait because it was shot in Instagram by and for a woman who was losing her mind in quarantine and had fully let the sillies take the wheel.

— Ego Nwodim, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025

Definition of silly

Adjective

But throughout that, and much more important than the rivalry and being mad at each other or whatever, is just this absolute unending love.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
What mad honey does to the human body When a human eats more than about a teaspoon of this honey, the toxin interferes with how the heart muscle generates its electrical signals.

— Prayan Pokharel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of mad

Noun

Unbeknownst to the visitors, there’s an unhappy fifth party already in the house… and more than one homicidal maniac even within that small populace.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 July 2026
The odd thing about this choice is that, although the DSA’s platform is indeed chock-full of maniacal proposals, on this particular idea, the maniacs have a point.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026

Definition of maniac

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cubs

cuckoo

cuckoo clock

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“Cuckoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cuckoo. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of cuckoo

adjective

noun

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