as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
kept getting typecast as the hero's dorky sidekick
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Recent Examples of dorky
Just this dorky kid that wanted to hide.
—
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025
The dorky, ScreenLife-adjacent technology introduced into the movie (which also includes oversized and dramatically embossed text messages emblazoned across the screen that evoke more sophisticated Word Art) is a little narratively clunky and contrived.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
While those early performances cemented his status as the typical dorky average-Joe teen, Hall evolved into a versatile actor who has played heroes, villains, and everything in between.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Admittedly, their dorky little fist bump is kind of cute.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dorky
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025
The dorky, ScreenLife-adjacent technology introduced into the movie (which also includes oversized and dramatically embossed text messages emblazoned across the screen that evoke more sophisticated Word Art) is a little narratively clunky and contrived.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
While those early performances cemented his status as the typical dorky average-Joe teen, Hall evolved into a versatile actor who has played heroes, villains, and everything in between.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Admittedly, their dorky little fist bump is kind of cute.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dorky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dorky
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
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Jess: The curds themselves are crispy, but the toast is stupid.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
22 Aug. 2025
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The dialogue wasn’t dumbed down and stupid comic book stuff.—
William Earl,
Variety,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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By the looks of it, news of rock music’s slow and painful death under ever-widening pop hegemony is greatly exaggerated.—
Chris R. Morgan,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Satellite: Available almost everywhere but can be slower and affected by weather.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For Zander, who has spent three decades championing play as a form of healing, the solution lies in something deceptively simple: rediscovering the human joy of play.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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In simple terms, net-new ARR is a way to show how fast a company’s recurring revenue base is growing.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The tie waist cinches in for a flattering fit, while the thicker knit keeps you warm as the weather cools down.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Aug. 2025
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The black, floor-length dress featured a high-neck and drop waist, a thick ribbon tied into a bow separating its pleated top from its skirt featuring slightly larger pleats.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dorky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dorky. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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