Synonym Chooser

How is the word asinine different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of asinine are fatuous, foolish, silly, and simple. While all these words mean "actually or apparently deficient in intelligence," asinine suggests utter and contemptible failure to use normal rationality or perception.

an asinine plot

When could fatuous be used to replace asinine?

While the synonyms fatuous and asinine are close in meaning, fatuous implies foolishness, inanity, and disregard of reality.

fatuous conspiracy theories

When is foolish a more appropriate choice than asinine?

The meanings of foolish and asinine largely overlap; however, foolish implies the character of being or seeming unable to use judgment, discretion, or good sense.

foolish stunts

When can silly be used instead of asinine?

The synonyms silly and asinine are sometimes interchangeable, but silly suggests failure to act as a rational being especially by ridiculous behavior.

the silly antics of revelers

When would simple be a good substitute for asinine?

In some situations, the words simple and asinine are roughly equivalent. However, simple implies a degree of intelligence inadequate to cope with anything complex or involving mental effort.

considered people simple who had trouble with computers

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of asinine Featured Presentations Final Destination: Bloodlines Family gatherings can already be a pain, but imagine that pain being asinine deaths that claim everyone one by one. Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 17 May 2025 What's worse than luring Robert De Niro to Netflix for a boring, soulless and asinine political thriller? Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 Alonso may not be the priority at first base for the Bronx Bombers, but to say there is zero interest is asinine. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024 Altman’s is a plainly asinine claim; a bunch of code running in a data center is not the same as a brain. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024 Comedy videos about customer service and asinine Atlanta eatery rules were already popular on TikTok but have seen major pickup since Lee’s viral videos. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023 Rogozin's claim that the only evidence Roscosmos could offer of the Moon landings was a book by Leonov is asinine. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 8 May 2023 Damning emails, texts, and deposition testimony made public during the Dominion case revealed that on-air hosts and executives, and many others at Fox, privately said in 2020 that the vote-rigging claims against Dominion were asinine. Jennifer Korn, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023 Leo Frank, the Jewish superintendent of the local pencil factory, thinks the whole event is asinine, but the sticky, creeping quality of that melody should be a warning. Vulture, 16 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asinine
Adjective
  • Not just on the training pitch but in the dorm rooms, talking about the future and giggling at stupid jokes.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • President Donald Trump said only stupid people would refuse a $400 million gift.
    Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • The biggest change, however, has been in fly ball frequency - his fly ball rate is now an absurd 50.0%, higher than any 2024 MLB regular.
    Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • What else can be said about Judge’s absurd start to this season?
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Using the Graham Norton hologram to tell us that the Earth was turned to ash on May 24th, 2025 is just the right kind of silly for this show.
    Ryan Woodrow, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
  • Eurovision is still too much of a silly spectacle for some, even with JJ in it.
    Alex Marshall, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • And this is not a story of corporate greed run amok, because Walmart would be foolish to try to gouge its customers at a time when economic anxiety is high (more on that in a moment).
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
  • Peters said the training from Wayne State's Institute of Gerontology has helped credit union employees to better frame probing questions that will get a positive response without making members feel foolish.
    Susan Tompor, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • And jingoism, idiotic, is not patriotism.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But, here, the characters suffer from the horror film syndrome of making one idiotic decision after another because that’s what the film requires to send the action in its intended direction.
    Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Tauruses will go crazy for something chic, functional, and soft to the touch.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2023
  • Before getting into the chaos of episode 5, that episode 4 cliff hanger was crazy.
    Calie Schepp, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And Just Like That is almost upon us—and with it, another series full of increasingly maximal, mad fashion choices.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 May 2025
  • The tale of a mad scientist, a famous painter and an undead woman’s journey of self-discovery.
    The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Asinine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asinine. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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