Synonyms of stupid

stupid 1 of 2

adjective

ˈstü-pəd 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dumb
• slow
• simple
• thick
• idiotic
• foolish
• dull
• ignorant
• dense
• silly
• unintelligent
• dopey
• fatuous
• obtuse
• irrational
• insane
• mad
• soft
• unreasonable
• doltish
• boneheaded
• brain-dead
• vacuous
• thickheaded
• mindless
• brainless
• witless
• lamebrain
• bonehead
• dorky
• crazy
• senseless
• dunderheaded
• opaque
• dim
• pinheaded
• oafish
• weak-minded
• dopy
• idiotical
• moronic
• lamebrained
• softheaded
• dim-witted
• empty-headed
• gormless
• unsmart
• looney
• absurd
• knuckleheaded
• airheaded
• chuckleheaded
• slow-witted
• half-witted
• lunatic
• lunkheaded
• bubbleheaded
• thick-witted
• fool
• imbecile
• imbecilic
• birdbrained
• feebleminded
• simpleminded
• cretinous
• uneducated
• uninformed
• asinine
• unthinking
• illiterate
• illogical
• nonsensical
• unintellectual
• daft
• unwise
• whacky
• invalid
• zany
• cuckoo
• lowbrow
• wacky
• untaught
• preposterous
• loony
• dippy
• nutty
• sappy
• fallacious
• kooky
• harebrained
• daffy
• screwball
• dotty
• crackpot
• boobish
• cockeyed
• half-baked
• tomfool
• balmy
• kookie
• featherheaded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brilliant
• smart
• clever
• intelligent
• quick
• bright
• apt
• fast
• sharp
• ingenious
• wise
• keen
• thinking
• nimble
• resourceful
• acute
• knowing
• intellectual
• insightful
• astute
• savvy
• perceptive
• sagacious
• keen
• brainy
• cerebral
• knowledgeable
• learned
• supersmart
• quick-witted
• erudite
• literate
• skilled
• discerning
• sage
• ultrasmart
• informed
• scholarly
• educated
• sharp-witted
• cunning
• reasonable
• shrewd
• trained
• hyperintelligent
• sound
• perspicacious
• sensible
• wily
• valid
• crafty
• logical
• rational
• sane
• prudent
• sapient
• highbrow
• judicious
• percipient
• well-read
• foxy
• schooled

2

as in boring

causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest

I can't believe we sat through the whole stupid movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boring
• slow
• tiring
• old
• weary
• dull
• annoying
• wearying
• dusty
• heavy
• irritating
• dry
• tedious
• uninteresting
• tame
• tiresome
• pedestrian
• monotonous
• stodgy
• drab
• ponderous
• wearisome
• dreary
• humdrum
• arid
• colorless
• jejune
• leaden
• stuffy
• stale
• monochromatic
• numbing
• flat
• mind-numbing
• exhausting
• ho-hum
• pallid
• sterile
• unimaginative
• blah
• blank
• grey
• drudging
• irksome
• jading
• barren
• spiritless
• gray
• draining
• soggy
• unexciting
• bothersome
• prosaic
• pedantic
• prosy
• uneventful
• inanimate
• dullish
• unrewarding
• unspectacular
• uninspiring
• undramatic
• discouraging
• unsensational
• earthbound
• common
• vapid
• ordinary
• aseptic
• debilitating
• wearing
• suspenseless
• cumbersome
• fatiguing
• pleasureless
• unnewsworthy
• commonplace
• unsurprising
• demoralizing
• disheartening
• longsome
• dispiriting
• unexceptional
• pokey
• tepid
• enervating
• poky
• plodding
• lumbering
• palling
• enfeebling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interesting
• intriguing
• involving
• wonderful
• amazing
• surprising
• awesome
• engaging
• spectacular
• marvellous
• exciting
• amusing
• astonishing
• wondrous
• marvelous
• astounding
• engrossing
• riveting
• absorbing
• inspiring
• gripping
• fabulous
• sensational
• entertaining
• breathtaking
• exhilarating
• thrilling
• stimulating
• attractive
• charming
• stirring
• electrifying
• fascinating
• poignant
• moving
• energizing
• alluring
• rousing
• animating
• touching
• enchanting
• beguiling
• attracting
• enthralling
• bewitching
• eye-opening
• provocative
• invigorating
• entrancing
• enlivening
• rip-roaring
• galvanizing
• diverting
• hair-raising
• suspenseful
• tantalizing
• captivating
• mesmerizing
• arresting
• spellbinding

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• foolish
• silly
• absurd
• mad
• crazy
• insane
• idiotic
• dumb
• lunatic
• irrational
• ridiculous
• fool
• simple
• looney
• asinine
• weak
• nonsensical
• unreasonable
• daft
• fatuous
• unwise
• whacky
• idiotical
• zany
• inept
• brainless
• witless
• slow
• simpleminded
• wacky
• preposterous
• loony
• dippy
• nutty
• senseless
• sappy
• weak-minded
• kooky
• moronic
• harebrained
• out to lunch
• daffy
• cuckoo
• jerky
• unreasoning
• screwball
• dotty
• crackpot
• half-baked
• cockeyed
• thoughtless
• half-witted
• clueless
• tomfool
• imbecile
• lunkheaded
• unintelligent
• bubbleheaded
• imbecilic
• illogical
• kookie
• balmy
• dopey
• obtuse
• unreasoned
• dull
• doltish
• featherheaded
• brain-dead
• vacuous
• thickheaded
• mindless
• ludicrous
• feebleminded
• dense
• lamebrain
• invalid
• dorky
• dim
• dunderheaded
• pinheaded
• laughable
• fallacious
• opaque
• oafish
• dopy
• soft
• thick
• farcical
• lamebrained
• softheaded
• dim-witted
• unsound
• empty-headed
• nonrational
• gormless
• surd
• knuckleheaded
• airheaded
• chuckleheaded
• clownish
• slow-witted
• buffoonish
• ill-advised
• birdbrained
• notional
• boobish
• unconsidered
• chowderheaded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wise
• sound
• sensible
• prudent
• sane
• intelligent
• clever
• smart
• judicious
• reasonable
• bright
• valid
• logical
• rational
• sagacious
• sage
• sapient
• brainy
• well-advised

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idiot
• moron
• lunatic
• dummy
• fool
• loser
• prat
• imbecile
• numbskull
• dolt
• know-nothing
• mutt
• dimwit
• ignoramus
• natural
• bonehead
• dullard
• jackass
• donkey
• dumbhead
• dunderhead
• simpleton
• blockhead
• dunce
• knucklehead
• goof
• doofus
• dope
• chucklehead
• ninny
• dumb cluck
• jerk
• airhead
• lunkhead
• goon
• pinhead
• nitwit
• numskull
• dork
• hardhead
• lamebrain
• stupe
• cretin
• oaf
• dummkopf
• loon
• bubblehead
• dum-dum
• clown
• nimrod
• cluck
• golem
• meathead
• yahoo
• noddy
• turkey
• clunk
• schnook
• dip
• deadhead
• dodo
• ninnyhammer
• schlub
• hammerhead
• nincompoop
• thickhead
• chowderhead
• fathead
• dumbbell
• birdbrain
• shlub
• lump
• clodpole
• half-wit
• villain
• noodle
• goose
• saphead
• nit
• gander
• ratbag
• cuddie
• mome
• buffoon
• dim bulb
• stock
• loggerhead
• cuddy
• woodenhead
• clodpoll
• loony
• skunk
• madman
• zany
• clot
• booby
• yo-yo
• snake
• creep
• mug
• nut
• beast
• gawk
• boor
• scatterbrain
• stinker
• cad
• featherbrain
• heel
• cur
• churl

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• genius
• brain
• intellect
• intellectual
• sage
• thinker
• wizard
• whiz
• Renaissance man
• polymath
• sharpy
• sharpie

Try This Instead

For

Try This

a stupid question

a dumb question

a silly question

an idiotic question

a foolish question

a lame question

a stupid idea

a dumb idea

an idiotic idea

a bad idea

a terrible idea

a horrible idea

a stupid story

a dumb story

a silly story

a lame story

a bad story

a pointless story

a stupid war

a dumb war

an idiotic war

a foolish war

a senseless war

a pointless war

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

Recent Examples of stupid

Adjective

The tone is maddeningly ambiguous, somewhere between stupid and serious, hammy and apocalyptic—in other words, consummate Crews. —Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

The pair will make stupid decisions, and viewers will likely wonder: would a girl like Paula really do that for a mess like Sloane? —Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 13 June 2025

Noun

People can be high achievers and still knee-walking stupid. —Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2022

It is described as a stupid-kids-in-the-woods story with a wry twist. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 Sep. 2022