1
2
as in thick
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily she accused him of being dense when he didn't seem to understand her at first

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dense contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dense are crass, dull, dumb, and stupid. While all these words mean "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions," dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.

too dense to take a hint

When can crass be used instead of dense?

The words crass and dense can be used in similar contexts, but crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.

a crass, materialistic people

When might dull be a better fit than dense?

While the synonyms dull and dense are close in meaning, dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.

monotonous work that leaves the mind dull

When would dumb be a good substitute for dense?

The meanings of dumb and dense largely overlap; however, dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.

too dumb to figure out what's going on

When is it sensible to use stupid instead of dense?

The words stupid and dense are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.

stupid students just keeping the seats warm
stupid with drink

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 dense That’s when Earth passes through the densest part of Halley’s comet debris. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025 Another study challenging the MICI scenario noted that breaking ice also tends to form a mélange, a dense, jumbled slurry of icebergs and sea ice. Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025 The room was filled with a dense, woodsy scent. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025 Hokkado island is home to one of the most dense populations of brown bears, per a study by Hokkaido University. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dense
Adjective
  • Many of the activists who most recently fought to keep the park support housing development, but Smith said the project will ultimately do a disservice to students and other neighborhood residents who are losing an important open space in a crowded urban environment.
    Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • His analytical discipline transforms vision into velocity and gives the company its edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
    Sara Smith, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The most recent eruption occurred in June, spewing thick clouds of gas and molten rock as high as 4 miles into the air at some points.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Without thick sheets of ice to buttress it, the rock face becomes destabilized.
    Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Add in a packed calendar of summer festivals, including the Taste of Syracuse and The Great New York State Fair, and Salt City makes a case as a year-round destination that balances tradition with fresh appeal.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Book writer Terrence McNally artfully adapted Doctorow’s densely packed, historical novel which, from the start, seemed destined to be a musical.
    Frank Rizzo, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Audition is a slow burn, spending the better part of two hours setting up audiences for arguably one of the most graphic climaxes in horror history.
    Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Tai chi is a form of exercise that involves slow, gentle movements and balancing poses.
    Carrie Madormo, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski’s excellent performance from the mound – striking out nine, a Milwaukee rookie postseason record – ensured that Thursday’s game was a tight affair through five innings, but LA took the lead in the sixth on Tommy Edman’s RBI single.
    George Ramsay, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Thibodeau was known for utilizing a tight rotation and playing his guys for extended minutes.
    Stan Son, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • And, in one of the dumbest and most obviously racist postr taken by a presidential candidate, at some point Republicans became fixated on the idea that Haitian migrants were stealing pets for food in the Midwest.
    Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
  • After Johnson gave his answer to that resolutely dumb question, several other luminaries took a whack at the zeitgeist piñata.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Each joint is optimized for mechanical efficiency by using tendon actuation, enabling smooth and natural motion while keeping the overall design lightweight and compact.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Convenience Many cocktail smokers are compact and lightweight for portability and easy storage.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But, God, to be able to play a Pablo Escobar who was just petty and wanted friends, there was something so stupid and so hilarious about that to me.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Keaton continued to play oddballs with a peculiar way of talking, though none were trivial or stupid.
    Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dense. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!