unintelligent

adjective

un·​in·​tel·​li·​gent ˌən-in-ˈte-lə-jənt How to pronounce unintelligent (audio)
: lacking intelligence : not intelligent
an unintelligent remark
a crude, unintelligent person
unintelligently adverb

Examples of unintelligent in a Sentence

you're not unintelligent, so you must just be stubbornly resisting all attempts to teach you something
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The man seemed to think he was surrounded by incompetent, unintelligent, wastes of space. Josh Davis, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025 The 32-year-old says she’s always been naturally curious, but as a child, school often left her feeling anxious and unintelligent. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025 Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025 The show and its participants were even parodied on Saturday Night Live in January, with comedian Ego Nwodim playing Amuli, and other cast members mocking people’s poor conversation skills and unintelligent dating decisions. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unintelligent

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unintelligent was in 1664

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Cite this Entry

“Unintelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintelligent. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

unintelligent

adjective
un·​in·​tel·​li·​gent
ˌən-in-ˈtel-ə-jənt
: lacking intelligence : unwise, stupid
an unintelligent use of your money
unintelligently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unintelligent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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