dumb as a bag of hammers
1
9.8
- idiom
- Offensive
- He is as dumb as a bag of hammers when it comes to math.
Examples
-
Don't act dumb as a bag of hammers; ask questions if you're unsure.
-
She proved she was dumb as a bag of hammers by believing every word of that scam.
-
When it comes to math, he can be dumb as a bag of hammers sometimes.
-
Don't be dumb as a bag of hammers!
-
After forgetting my password for the tenth time, I felt as dumb as a bag of hammers.
-
His decision to invest in that failing company made him seem dumb as a bag of hammers.
-
When she thought she could finish the project in one night, she truly was dumb as a bag of hammers.
Synonyms
∞
3.2
Not able to understand or learn things quickly
383
1.3
Not showing good sense and making unwise choices
103
4.4
Very silly and showing bad judgment
24
3.5
Very stupid and not using common sense
18
7.1
Not very intelligent and too naive about complex things
9
8.1
Not quick to understand or learn new things
7
3.3
Not smart or slow to understand
7
8.0
Very stupid and not thinking clearly
6
5.3
Not very smart and slow to understand things
3
9.9
Very slow to understand or react
1
9.3
Not very smart and acting in a foolish way
1
7.9
Being very foolish and showing poor judgment
1
8.4
Very silly and not showing good sense
1
8.8
Not very smart or sensible
1
9.9
Very foolish and not sensible or responsible
1
9.9
Very foolish and acting without thinking
1
9.8
So surprised that you cannot speak or move
1
8.9
Very foolish or not showing any reaction
Slow to understand things and often acting foolishly
Antonyms
How Foolish
Surface Forms
Morphology
dumb + as + a + bag + of + hammers
The comparative template 'as ... as' combined with 'dumb' and the image of inanimate tools (hammers) makes the general idea — extremely foolish — inferable because learners can reason that hammers cannot think. However, the specific figurative choice 'bag of hammers' is an arbitrary, culture-specific simile and therefore not fully predictable from the parts without prior exposure.
Etymology
The saying dumb as a bag of hammers may come from the silly image of a bag full of heavy hammers that just rattle and have no brains. So people use it to call someone 'very foolish'.