Synonyms of benighted

benighted

adjective

bi-ˈnī-təd 

as in ignorant

lacking in education or the knowledge gained from books

the poor benighted souls who do not know the joys of reading

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignorant
• dark
• uneducated
• untutored
• inexperienced
• untaught
• illiterate
• unschooled
• unlearned
• uninstructed
• nonliterate
• unlettered
• innocent
• simple
• unread
• rude
• naive
• foolish
• uncultured
• unsophisticated
• analphabetic
• stupid
• idiotic
• dumb
• uncultivated
• artless
• functionally illiterate
• callow
• semiliterate
• unknowledgeable
• green
• moronic
• imbecile
• unskilled
• witless
• innumerate
• untrained
• lowbrow
• silly
• philistine
• brainless
• senseless
• raw

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• literate
• brilliant
• educated
• knowledgeable
• intelligent
• experienced
• smart
• expert
• lettered
• intellectual
• well-informed
• erudite
• trained
• well-read
• learned
• schooled
• scholarly
• familiar
• cultured
• sophisticated
• aware
• cultivated
• acquainted
• highbrow
• polymath
• polyhistoric

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of benighted

If or when the elephants die, our own benighted species will surely not be far behind. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026

Even with Dibble effortlessly laying waste to every point and argument made by his benighted co-guest, Joe Rogan remained unconvinced. —Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025

With the midterm election still nearly a year off — and the 2028 presidential contest eons away — many of those angry or despondent over the benighted state of our union desperately wanted to do something to push back. —Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025

Like the original Outlander, Blood of My Blood is believably frank about the possibility of assault in the benighted past. —Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025