stupid 1 of 2

adjective

ˈstü-pəd How to pronounce stupid (audio)
Definition of stupidnext
1
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily we watched as the stupid squirrels tried unsuccessfully to find a way to get the seeds from the new bird feeder there are no stupid questions

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2
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest I can't believe we sat through the whole stupid movie

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment not liking the captain is a stupid reason to quit the team

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stupid

2 of 2

noun

as in idiot
a stupid person a genius at math, but a total stupid when it came to his love life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective stupid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stupid are crass, dense, dull, and dumb. While all these words mean "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions," stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.

stupid students just keeping the seats warm
stupid with drink

When is it sensible to use crass instead of stupid?

The words crass and stupid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.

a crass, materialistic people

When can dense be used instead of stupid?

Although the words dense and stupid have much in common, dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.

too dense to take a hint

When is dull a more appropriate choice than stupid?

While in some cases nearly identical to stupid, dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.

monotonous work that leaves the mind dull

In what contexts can dumb take the place of stupid?

In some situations, the words dumb and stupid are roughly equivalent. However, dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.

too dumb to figure out what's going on

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stupid
Adjective
That is the funny, stupid, beautiful thing about baseball. —Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026 Pepsi’s chart is absurd and someone’s going to look stupid when the momentum fades. —Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid. —Caroline Downey, National Review, 27 Mar. 2025 An underrated gem — not enough people have seen this top-tier season — Squirrels Trip has some fabulous vocals, very funny lyrics, a heavy dose of stupid, and an engaging story. —Barry Levitt, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stupid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stupid
  1. dumb
  2. boring
  3. foolish
  4. slow
  5. tiring
  6. silly
  7. moron
  8. simple
Adjective
  • These apps often default to a faster, dumber model.
    — Matt Shumer, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Who, other than dumb people like me, are gonna recruit high school kids?
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • The boring lunch ends boringly, with the women sipping their champagne in silence, tucking into their salads, and ignoring the commemorative glasses that no one wanted.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
  • This sounds like a boring event but the boys turn the act of breaking up ice or sleet sheets from the sidewalk into a hockey-like competition.
    — Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Counting on one of the league’s most expensive talents to play meaningful minutes from here on out at his age with a track record like that is nearly as foolish as Nico trading a perennial MVP candidate at 26.
    — Kevin Sherrington Feb. 4, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The lesson isn’t that NBA teams are reckless or foolish.
    — Spencer Harrison, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of foolish
Adjective
  • That builds on similar trends throughout 2025, when the industry buoyed an otherwise slow labor market, as the nation’s hospitals, clinics and nursing homes kept hiring even as many employers pulled back.
    — Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Any type of realism was [limited to] very short clips, everything was very slow, bad textures, no skin textures, lacking detail.
    — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • It's been a cold, tiring week, but the light at the end of the tunnel that is a Saturday at Ikea picking out lamp shades is finally within sight.
    — Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 6 Feb. 2026
  • But studies have also shown that consuming caffeine before a mentally tiring task reduces the feeling of cognitive fatigue.
    — Katharine Gammon, Time, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • Don’t feel silly asking at the ski shop.
    — Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Walker offers this diagnosis himself, leeringly dismissing Pearl as a silly mommy, awash with hormones, mildly and minorly hysterical.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of silly
Noun
  • The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.
    — Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Definition of moron
Adjective
  • Feltner’s routine was pretty simple.
    — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of simple

Browse Nearby Words

stupes
stupid
stupidities
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Cite this Entry

“Stupid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stupid. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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