Neanderthals — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl/ Ne·an·der·thal

Meaning & Definition of Neanderthals

Neanderthals (noun)

  1. a hominid (Homo neanderthalensis synonym H. sapiens neanderthalensis) known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia that lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago
  2. a person who suggests a caveman in appearance, mentality, or behavior

Neanderthals (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a big clumsy often slow-witted person

    "they looked like a tribe of Neanderthals compared to the bridegroom's patrician-looking family"

    similar: clodhoppers, clods, gawks, hulks, louts, lubbers, lugs, lumps, oafs, palookas
    related: chumps, losers, schlemiels, turkeys, slouches, airheads, birdbrains, blockheads, blunderers, boneheads, bubbleheads, chowderheads, chuckleheads, clodpolls, clots (British), clucks, clunks, cuddies (British dialect), deadheads, dim bulbs (slang), dimwits, dips, dodoes, dolts, donkeys, doofuses (slang), dopes, dorks (slang), dullards, dumbbells, dumbheads, dum-dums, dummies, dummkopfs, dunces, dunderheads, fatheads, galoots (slang), ganders, golems, goofs, goons, half-wits, hammerheads, hardheads, idiots, ignoramuses, imbeciles, jackasses, know-nothings, knuckleheads, lamebrains, loggerheads (chiefly dialect), loons, lunkheads, meatheads, momes (archaic), morons, mugs (chiefly British), mutts, nimrods (slang), nincompoops, ninnies, ninnyhammers, nits (chiefly British), nitwits, noddies, noodles, numskulls, pinheads, prats (British), ratbags (chiefly Australian), sapheads, schlubs (slang), schnooks (slang), simpletons, simps, stocks, stupes, stupids, thickheads, woodenheads, yahoos, yo-yos, anthropoids, apes, beasts, boors, brutes, cads, churls, clowns, creeps, cretins, curs, heels, louses, skunks, snakes, stinkers, tykes (chiefly British), villains, boobies, fools, geese, loonies, lunatics, madmen, nuts, featherbrains, scatterbrains, rascals, rogues, scamps
    near: brainiacs, brains, geniuses, intellectuals, sages, thinkers, whizzes, wizards

  2. a man with crude manners and habits and outmoded attitudes

    "made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin"

    similar: cavemen, troglodytes
    related: barbarians, heathens, primitives, savages, animals, beasts, brutes, boors, cads, churls, creeps, cretins, curs, heels, jerks, louses, louts, swine

Related Entry: Neanderthal (noun)

Neanderthal is a different word from Neanderthals. The synonyms below are for Neanderthal, not for Neanderthals.

  1. a big clumsy often slow-witted person

    "they looked like a tribe of Neanderthals compared to the bridegroom's patrician-looking family"

    similar: clod, clodhopper, gawk, hulk, lout, lubber, lug, lump, oaf, palooka
    related: chump, loser, schlemiel, turkey, slouch, airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, blunderer, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll, clot (British), cluck, clunk, cuddy (British dialect), deadhead, dim bulb (slang), dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus (slang), dope, dork (slang), dullard, dumbbell, dumbhead, dum-dum, dummkopf, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, galoot (slang), gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, idiot, ignoramus, imbecile, jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead (chiefly dialect), loon, lunkhead, meathead, mome (archaic), moron, mug (chiefly British), mutt, nimrod (slang), nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit (chiefly British), nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull, pinhead, prat (British), ratbag (chiefly Australian), saphead, schlub (slang), schnook (slang), simp, simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yo, anthropoid, ape, beast, boor, brute, cad, churl, clown, creep, cretin, cur, heel, louse, skunk, snake, stinker, tyke (chiefly British), villain, booby, fool, goose, loony, madman, nut, featherbrain, scatterbrain, rascal, rogue, scamp
    near: brain, brainiac, genius, intellectual, sage, thinker, whiz, wizard

  2. a man with crude manners and habits and outmoded attitudes

    "made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin"

    similar: caveman, troglodyte
    related: barbarian, heathen, primitive, savage, animal, beast, brute, boor, cad, churl, creep, cretin, cur, heel, jerk, louse, lout, swine

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Neanderthals

The most common words with a similar meaning to Neanderthals:

clodhoppers, clods, gawks, hulks, louts, lubbers, lugs, lumps, oafs, palookas, cavemen, troglodytes

Related Words for Neanderthals

chumps, losers, schlemiels, turkeys, slouches, airheads, birdbrains, blockheads, blunderers, boneheads, bubbleheads, chowderheads, chuckleheads, clodpolls, clots, clucks, clunks, cuddies, deadheads, dim bulbs, dimwits, dips, dodoes, dolts, donkeys, doofuses, dopes, dorks, dullards, dumbbells

Near Antonyms of Neanderthals

brainiacs, brains, geniuses, intellectuals, sages, thinkers, whizzes, wizards

Word Forms of Neanderthals

Derived words: Neanderthal (adjective), Neanderthaloid (adjective or noun)

Origin & Etymology of Neanderthals

Neanderthal, valley in western Germany

First known use: 1874

Frequently Asked Questions about Neanderthals

What does "Neanderthals" mean?

"Neanderthals" means a hominid (Homo neanderthalensis synonym H. sapiens neanderthalensis) known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia that lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago. As a noun, it is defined as: a hominid (Homo neanderthalensis synonym H. sapiens neanderthalensis) known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia that lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Neanderthals"?

Other words for "Neanderthals" include clodhoppers, clods, gawks, hulks, louts, lubbers, lugs and lumps. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Neanderthals" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Neanderthals"?

There are 133 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Neanderthals". Common alternatives include clodhoppers, clods, gawks, hulks, louts, lubbers, lugs, lumps, oafs and palookas.

How do you use "Neanderthals" in a sentence?

Examples of "Neanderthals" in a sentence: "they looked like a tribe of Neanderthals compared to the bridegroom's patrician-looking family"; "made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin".

Is "Neanderthals" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Neanderthals" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Neanderthals"?

"Neanderthals" is pronounced /nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl/ and divided into syllables as Ne·an·der·thal.

What is the origin of the word "Neanderthals"?

"Neanderthals" comes from Neanderthal, valley in western Germany. First known use: 1874.

What is another word for "Neanderthals" meaning "a big clumsy often slow-witted person"?

When "Neanderthals" (noun) means a big clumsy often slow-witted person, synonyms include clodhoppers, clods, gawks, hulks, louts and lubbers.