dumb
945
3.2
- adjective
- /dʌm/
- Offensive
:
tonto
- She felt dumb after realizing she had misunderstood the instructions.
- a dumb question
- pretty dumb
- call someone dumb
Why do people do dumb, bad, shameful things?
- Why do people do dumb, bad, shameful things?
- These people are so dumb, it's just unbelievable.
- And I'm like, this is literally the dumbest thing ever.
- Almost always it's someone who's still dumb enough to be still smoking.
- OK, now was he dumb or was this intentional?
- Trump will do something weird, dumb, hilarious, or insane.
- Don't admit that you're the dumbest lawyer on earth.
- How much of it is just dumb, the opposite of luck?
Examples
-
"I'm old enough and wise enough to dare to do dumb things," Eva said.
Academic text (1999) -
These people are so dumb, it's just unbelievable.
-
I worry about pressure because of No Child Left Behind to dumb standards down.
Academic text (2011) -
But he was afraid he would sound dumb, and people would think he made it all up.
Fiction book (1990) -
A person that doesn't look out for himself is too dumb to look out for anybody else.
Fiction book (1990) -
And I'm like, this is literally the dumbest thing ever.
-
There were several dumb humor parts, and that's the kind of humor I like.
Academic text (1999) -
He failed the test because he was too dumb to understand the questions.
-
Many people consider it dumb to invest in a scheme without doing proper research.
Synonyms
505
1.3
Not showing good sense and making unwise choices
297
4.4
Not quick to learn or understand things
115
4.4
Very silly and showing bad judgment
28
6.5
Slow to understand and not quick to learn
24
6.8
Slow to understand what others explain
24
3.5
Very stupid and not using common sense
19
2.8
Slow to notice or react to things
16
7.1
Not very intelligent and too naive about complex things
14
7.4
Slow to understand what other people mean
9
6.8
Not showing good sense or judgment
8
3.3
Not smart or slow to understand
6
5.6
Not quick to understand or learn
6
5.3
Not very smart and slow to understand things
4
7.9
Slow to understand simple ideas or instructions
3
6.7
Not quick to understand or think
3
9.9
Very slow to understand or react
1
8.1
Not quick to understand or learn new things
1
8.8
Not very smart or sensible
1
7.9
Being very foolish and showing poor judgment
1
8.4
Very silly and not showing good sense
Very foolish and acting without thinking
Showing little intelligence and only simple ideas
Very foolish or not showing any reaction
Very stupid and not able to think clearly
So surprised that you cannot speak or move
Slow to understand things and often acting foolishly
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
5.1
An explosive dropped from a plane that falls by gravity without guidance
A common houseplant with large green leaves that can make your mouth and throat swell if eaten
How Intelligent
949
3.7
- US
81
2.7
573
1.7
- Offensive
∞
1.0
- Offensive
945
3.2
8
3.3
- Offensive
3
6.7
Surface Forms
Etymology
Dumb later came to mean 'not smart' in everyday speech. Over time people wrongly thought that quietness showed a lack of thought, so calling someone 'dumb' came to mean they are slow to understand, though this use is rude.