classic case of wisdumb

9.7

A clear example of someone acting foolish while thinking they are smart

noun
/ˈklæsɪk keɪs əv ˈwɪzdʌm/

Offensive

: claro ejemplo de estupidez (informal, ofensivo)

Her attempt to multitask while driving and texting was a classic case of wisdumb.

Examples

Ignoring all warnings and going hiking in a storm turned out to be a classic case of wisdumb.
Deciding to repair the electrical wiring yourself was a classic case of wisdumb that could have ended badly.
That was a classic case of wisdumb when he tried to fix the car without any help.
She thought she could save money by not hiring a lawyer, a classic case of wisdumb.
Deciding to repair the electrical wiring yourself was a classic case of wisdumb that could have ended badly.
Ignoring all warnings and going hiking in a storm turned out to be a classic case of wisdumb.
Her attempt to multitask while driving and texting was a classic case of wisdumb.

Synonyms

dimwittedness

vsclassic case of wisdumb

Offensive

7.7

A quality of being slow to understand and making simple mistakes

is used for someone who acts knowledgeable but is actually foolish

How Foolish

idiocy

Offensive

40 8.0

classic case of wisdumb

Offensive

9.7

poor decision

11 3.5

Surface Forms

classic case of wisdumb singular

classic cases of wisdumb plural

Morphology

classic + case + of + wisdumb

The phrase uses transparent components ('classic case of') but contains a nonstandard portmanteau 'wisdumb' (blend of 'wisdom' + 'dumb'). If a learner recognizes the blend they can infer the meaning (foolishness presented as wisdom), but because 'wisdumb' is creative and nonstandard this inference is uncertain for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Classic case of wisdumb is a playful mix of wisdom and dumb, creating the picture of someone who tries to seem smart but does something silly. That's why it is used to mean a 'typical example' of foolishness when someone thinks they are clever but is not.