as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the show's amateur sleuth always has to explain to the dim-witted police chief who really committed the murder
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Recent Examples of dim-witted
Sluggish, tail-dragging, dim-witted behemoths were out, and hot-blooded dinos were in.
—
Steve Brusatte, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
The sheer amount of dim-witted gangsters running around, with names like Dumbass Tony and Roid Rage Ryan, also keep the narrative lighthearted and just bizarre enough.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Ashton Kutcher As The Corporation Kutcher is perhaps best known for his role as the attractive, dim-witted Michael Kelso on the hit sitcom That ‘70s Show, which ran for eight seasons.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Though Avantika was pretty iconic in her interpretation of the sweet yet dim-witted Karen role in the 2024 Mean Girls reboot, Seyfried’s performance was the blueprint.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Hetero Awesome Fest: a gay ol’ time Ready for a dim-witted doubleheader?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Facing pressure to sire a child, Jerome tosses a crude wager the way of his dashing but dim-witted Lothario-like chum Manfred (Nicholas Galitzine) – a bet that the handsome cad won’t be able to woo Cherry and bed her while he’s gone for 100 nights.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
In this new-original sequel, however, the Spinal Tap trio seem older and wiser, and that’s a shame, since their dim-witted antics (going in circles trying to find the stage or rationalizing an all-black album cover) became the stuff of legend.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2025
Three years later, Hurst was cast on CBS’ The Dukes of Hazzard as Hazzard County bigwig Boss Hogg’s dim-witted second cousin, twice removed.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 26 June 2025
Steve Brusatte, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026
The sheer amount of dim-witted gangsters running around, with names like Dumbass Tony and Roid Rage Ryan, also keep the narrative lighthearted and just bizarre enough.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Ashton Kutcher As The Corporation Kutcher is perhaps best known for his role as the attractive, dim-witted Michael Kelso on the hit sitcom That ‘70s Show, which ran for eight seasons.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Though Avantika was pretty iconic in her interpretation of the sweet yet dim-witted Karen role in the 2024 Mean Girls reboot, Seyfried’s performance was the blueprint.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Hetero Awesome Fest: a gay ol’ time Ready for a dim-witted doubleheader?
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Facing pressure to sire a child, Jerome tosses a crude wager the way of his dashing but dim-witted Lothario-like chum Manfred (Nicholas Galitzine) – a bet that the handsome cad won’t be able to woo Cherry and bed her while he’s gone for 100 nights.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
In this new-original sequel, however, the Spinal Tap trio seem older and wiser, and that’s a shame, since their dim-witted antics (going in circles trying to find the stage or rationalizing an all-black album cover) became the stuff of legend.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2025
Three years later, Hurst was cast on CBS’ The Dukes of Hazzard as Hazzard County bigwig Boss Hogg’s dim-witted second cousin, twice removed.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 26 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim-witted
Adjective
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Does that kind of discourse-friendly success override the fact that Euphoria is too young, too scummy, and too dumb to fit into the usual Emmy pattern?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
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And that’s where things somehow got even dumber After being questioned by security, Beyer reportedly gave a fake name, which prompted them to call police.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Nothing gets Trump angrier than when one of his underlings is caught doing something stupid on videotape.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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But to those going to an upcoming show, for the love of God please shut up when Raye is sharing this story; a quiet room isn’t a license to yell stupid nonsense.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Banchero up-and-down The Magic superstar forward got off to a slow start by opening 1-for-6 from the field, including missing his first four 3-pointers.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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More Americans are heading into retirement without a pension, and are instead leaning on savings accounts and investment portfolios that have become increasingly subject to market swings and the slow erosion of inflation.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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July 23 – August 22 Clarity today comes from keeping your message simple and grounded.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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Brown said Atlanta was taking away the Knicks’ spray game, which made the answer simpler.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Keep moisture in the soil by adding a a 3- or 4-inch-thick layer of insulating, coarse wood (NOT BARK) mulch, leaving some bare sunny spots for ground dwelling native bees.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Then remove a few of the oldest, thickest living stems, cutting them down to about 2 inches from the ground.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dim-witted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim-witted. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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