1
as in stupid
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the fatuous questions that the audience members asked after the lecture suggested to the oceanographer that they had understood little
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absurd
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
ignoring the avalanche warnings, the fatuous skiers continued on their way down the trail
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fatuous
Second, this rationale for regulation proved to be illogical and fatuous as conceded by U.S. Courts and the Federal Communications Commission in the decades since.
—
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
This fatuous facial gesture is immediately relatable but also, as Locke discusses below, one that can be read in a number of different ways.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Schools must accept that mission statements without curriculum alignment are fatuous; the way schools define themselves is through the experience that flows from their curriculum.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Neither Berlanti nor Gilroy believe in them beyond the fatuous setup of their competitiveness with each other.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fatuous
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
This fatuous facial gesture is immediately relatable but also, as Locke discusses below, one that can be read in a number of different ways.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Schools must accept that mission statements without curriculum alignment are fatuous; the way schools define themselves is through the experience that flows from their curriculum.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Neither Berlanti nor Gilroy believe in them beyond the fatuous setup of their competitiveness with each other.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fatuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatuous
Adjective
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The real star of this episode, however, was Gretchen Christine Beauté and her stupid Lara Croft outfit.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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Among the colorful cast of rogues, villains, queens and clergymen, Andre The Giant stands out as the young suitor’s kind-hearted but stupid brute.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But the true spectacle, his essence, is watching Hardy barge to an absurd-but-revealing 485 yards after contact and what that’s creating.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Sep. 2025
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This remake is most curious for the contrast—Cervantes’ novel is thought to be the first realist piece of literature, where Rushdie’s update is decidedly absurd.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Free speech covers the jokes, the satire, the parodies—even the dumb, crass, or offensive ones.—
Lizz Winstead,
Time,
27 Sep. 2025
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On the flipside, Kimmel, like everyone else with a boss, is not protected against saying dumb stuff and getting fired.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This place belongs to the Carver, a deranged butcher who hunts anything foolish enough to enter.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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France had been humiliated in 1871 by Prussia in a foolish war of its own making, and Dreyfus, accused of passing military secrets to the Germans, was a convenient scapegoat in a time of national malaise.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The slow start that Mayfield is alluding to has to do with the Buccaneers only scoring two field goals through the first half, and scoring their first touchdown well into the third quarter.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Construction in the section of Jackson Park, often described as Chicago’s equivalent of Central Park, has been slow.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This dance party for toddlers and preschoolers is packed with silly puppets, cheerful songs, and endless smiles!—
Sarah Z. Sleeper,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Sep. 2025
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And why that silly jacket in the middle of June?—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Don’t pull over in the roundabout Roundabouts with a single lane of traffic in each direction are fairly simple – yield to traffic in the roundabout, wait for a gap in traffic and go through, Bryson said.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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This can be as simple as bodyweight movements, resistance bands or dumbbells, focusing on compound/functional movements like squats, pushes and pulls.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The first game famously took thirst-trap renditions of the Greek pantheon and imbued each figure with an insane amount of charm.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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Starting the competition off with a bang with the cape and then moving right into killing the athleisure [challenge] was just insane.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fatuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatuous. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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