dopey

1 of 2

adjective

dop·​ey ˈdō-pē 

variants or less commonly dopy

dopier; dopiest

1

a

: dulled by alcohol or a narcotic

b

: sluggish, stupefied

2

: stupid, fatuous

dopey sitcoms

dopily

ˈdō-pə-lē 

adverb

dopiness noun

dopiness

2 of 2

noun

dop·​i·​ness

variants or less commonly dopeyness

ˈdōpēnə̇s, 

-pin-

plural -es

: a dopey state

prepare ourselves … to face courageously the rising curve of dopiness

—Wall Street Journal

Synonyms of dopey

Adjective

• dumb
• stupid
• slow
• simple
• thick

Examples of dopey in a Sentence

Adjective

I'm still a little dopey from the painkillers.

After being up all night I was pretty dopey at work.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The concept was already mildly stale in 1983; in 2026, jokes about Nate learning to use a toaster or a GPS come off as well past their expiration date, no matter how earnestly dopey a performance Bargatze gives. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026

Originally, the dopey jock role had been filled by actor Steven Ford. —Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026

Well, this overly gauzy, sentimental, dull period romance hasn’t gotten any less dopey now that Nicolas Cage has been, well, Nicolas Cage for the last 20 years. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026

The closest thing to a lull in the ceaseless stream of dopey humor is the songs, which can be charming but generally don’t try to be amusing at all. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for dopey

• hopi
• soapy

Kids Definition

dopey

adjective

dop·​ey ˈdō-pē 

dopier; dopiest

1

: dulled by or as if by alcohol or a narcotic

2

: mentally slow or silly : stupid

your dopey friends

a dopey TV show

dopiness noun