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scatterbrained

/ˈskæɾərbreɪnd/
/ˈskætəbreɪnd/
IPA guide

When you're feeling scatterbrained, you're confused and rattled. Many people feel a little scatterbrained when they first wake up in the morning, before they've had their coffee.

The adjective scatterbrained is perfect for describing someone who's disorganized, flighty, and maybe a little silly. A scatterbrained teacher might spend ten minutes looking for his glasses before realizing, to the amusement of his class, that they're on his head. You might feel scatterbrained if you show up for an appointment on the wrong day, and you can call yourself a scatterbrain. Both words have been used in English since the mid-1700s to describe easily distracted people.

Definitions of scatterbrained
  1. adjective
    lacking sense or discretion
    foolish
    devoid of good sense or judgment
  2. adjective
    guided by whim and fancy
    frivolous
    not serious in content or attitude or behavior
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