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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 Overdoing it on the mixing, even by hand, can result in flat, tough, or dense cookies. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025 The explosion in new construction projects was also allowed by the fact that the Austin city government has made building new apartments easier in recent years, rewriting zoning laws, cutting parking requirements, and encouraging dense, walkable development. Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025 La Jolla Walk-In Campsite The La Jolla Walk-In Campsite is a small campground in dense chaparral in Point Mugu State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025 Instead, my family spent time idling in a hammock under a dense canopy of trees, napping in the dappled sunshine. Hasina Jeelani, Vogue, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dense
Adjective
  • The 124th Running of The Dinner Party Stakes A crowded field turned toward the final stretch of the 1 1/8-mile turf run, the last race before the evening’s main event, before Fort Washington pulled away with Cash Equity surging.
    Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2025
  • These animals were housed in crowded stables, transported in train cars across the country and shipped overseas.
    John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Starting with the build, the Swift Edge 14 AI measures just 0.65 inch thick and weighs 2.18 pounds.
    Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 16 May 2025
  • At the opposite end of the court, a thick layer of melancholy was present.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Andrew Weitz — a style consultant and men’s fashion expert who steers a firm called The Weitz Effect — recently fielded a call from a client with a packed European itinerary on the horizon.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
  • The lunch was part of a packed schedule for the president, who is currently touring the Middle East.
    Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • Life has likely felt a bit nebulous and slow for you in the past year, Cancer.
    Kyle Thomas, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • France One of my upcoming podcast guests, Mary Alice Duff, decided to swap the hustle of life in Philadelphia for the slower pace of southern France.
    Cepee Tabibian, CNBC, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • The two have to be considered the tightest friendship pair in franchise history, and went through an emotional roller coaster filled with highs and lows along the way.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 22 May 2025
  • Autonomous vehicle technology has been hard to commercialize, with tight regulations and heavy investments forcing many companies to give up.
    Akash Sriram, USA Today, 22 May 2025
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
  • Best Overall Infant Tub This infant tub is compact, durable, and supportive.
    Laura Lu, Parents, 22 May 2025
  • With its compact form, Suntastic™ 'Radiance' Abelia also makes an excellent container plant.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Dense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dense. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dense

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