head case

noun

plural head cases
: a foolish or eccentric person
also, sometimes offensive : someone who is mentally unsound

Examples of head case in a Sentence

Her brother's a real head case. brought in a counselor to work with the student they worried might be a head case
Recent Examples on the Web My question is, with what AB did to the Raiders, Why would Gruden/Mayock want to take another head case like Jalen Ramsey? Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2019 Brown is the foremost head case and headache in the NFL. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2019 Whiteside has a reputation of being a bit of a head case, and also, in need of motivation. oregonlive.com, 1 July 2019 One game Kevin Durant is a head case, the next he’s dialed in. Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 June 2018 Here’s a toast to both of them, performing in such relevant games after being written off as hopeless head cases earlier in their careers. Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle, 31 May 2018 Grant Goodrich of Cleveland, who heads Case Western Reserve University's Great Lakes Energy Institute, collected $72,192 in the quarter, spent $28,273 and had $48,919 in the bank. Sabrina Eaton, cleveland.com, 16 Apr. 2018 Then again, the finale may just add to the mystery, and turn not just a few, but every single character into a head case tortured by strange, traumatic visions and memories. Kristi Turnquist, OregonLive.com, 12 Apr. 2018 Neither of the Aboutaam brothers has been charged with any wrongdoing related to any of these investigations or to the bull’s head case. Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'head case.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of head case was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near head case

Cite this Entry

“Head case.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/head%20case. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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