Airhead means: Foolish, scatterbrained person. Mildly insulting, very dated.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
airhead
Foolish, scatterbrained person.
ˈeə.hedDocumented since 1980s1980sGen XhistoricalCurrent149 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~1980 · 1 year of recorded useGen X eraSee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Airhead Mable Inflatable Towable Tube, 1-4 Rider Models, Dual Tow Points, Full Nylon Cover, EVA Foam Pads, Patented Speed Valve, Boat Tubes and Towables #familyfun #watersports #boating #boattube #speedvalve #pvc
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BlueskyMay 2026
Airhead Big Mable and Booster Ball Combo, 1-2 Rider Towable Tube for Boating #boating #inflatable #towabletube #summerfun #boosterball #watersports
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BlueskyMay 2026
I was mortified to realize my voice when I'm recording from a bottom POV sounds like a completely vapid airhead ^.^'
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BlueskyMay 2026
The dramatic scheming fox blaming his airhead brother for the mess in the kitchen.
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BlueskyMay 2026
Really. Miss dan even je eigen slachtofferrol teruglezen op je tl . Voor je arrogant in mijn mentions komt. #Airhead Ik denk dat er genoeg mensen zijn die precies weten waar ik het over heb. #EgocentrischeKlaphark.
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Definitions
#1·Apr 26, 2026
Foolish, scatterbrained person. Mildly insulting, very dated.
See it in action
“I was mortified to realize my voice when I'm recording from a bottom POV sounds like a completely vapid airhead ^.^'”
“Really. Miss dan even je eigen slachtofferrol teruglezen op je tl . Voor je arrogant in mijn mentions komt. #Airhead Ik denk dat er genoeg mensen zijn die precies weten waar ik het over heb. #EgocentrischeKlaphark.”
"Don't be such an airhead."
Origin: Mid-20th-century American slang; peaked in 1980s teen-movie usage.
For parents
Airhead means: Foolish, scatterbrained person. Mildly insulting, very dated.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
airhead means: Foolish, scatterbrained person. Mildly insulting, very dated.. Register: dated, informal. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Cluster: insult
Heard in the wild
“Airhead Mable Inflatable Towable Tube, 1-4 Rider Models, Dual Tow Points, Full Nylon Cover, EVA Foam Pads, Patented Speed Valve, Boat Tubes and Towables #familyfun #watersports #boating #boattube #speedvalve #pvc”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Airhead Big Mable and Booster Ball Combo, 1-2 Rider Towable Tube for Boating #boating #inflatable #towabletube #summerfun #boosterball #watersports”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I was mortified to realize my voice when I'm recording from a bottom POV sounds like a completely vapid airhead ^.^'”
— Bluesky· May 2026“The dramatic scheming fox blaming his airhead brother for the mess in the kitchen.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Really. Miss dan even je eigen slachtofferrol teruglezen op je tl . Voor je arrogant in mijn mentions komt. #Airhead Ik denk dat er genoeg mensen zijn die precies weten waar ik het over heb. #EgocentrischeKlaphark.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Show 3 more dictionary-style senses (imported)
#2·May 2, 2026
An area of hostile territory that has been seized for use as an airbase to ensure the further safe landing of troops and materiel.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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#3·May 2, 2026
A foolish, silly, or unintelligent person.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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#4·May 2, 2026
A (usually temporary) landing area for aircraft for supplying a non-military operation.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "airhead" (A)
AiredaleairflownAir Forceairgasmair-girlairgraphairheadedairheadednessairheadedness arcairheadedness checkairheadedness codedairheadedness core
Browse all slang words starting with A.