1
as in nerds
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
we became friends when we discovered we were both dorks who had memorized the periodic table in high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiots
a stupid person
he tried to be suave, but she still thought he was a dork
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dorks
And to our original troupe of foul-mouthed dorks (compliment) — Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, and Dustin Henderson — the Party comes before all else.
—
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Because despite their wealth and power, NFL and Fox Sports executives are at heart jock-sniffing dorks who will do anything to appease a good sports player, and pretty blonde girls.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
Those Park-Conklins are such sweet dorks.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Because despite their wealth and power, NFL and Fox Sports executives are at heart jock-sniffing dorks who will do anything to appease a good sports player, and pretty blonde girls.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
Those Park-Conklins are such sweet dorks.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dorks
Noun
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For space nerds, that's about 15% more power than the SLS rocket's Saturn V predecessor used for the Apollo missions, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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But 15-year-old high school speech and debate nerds would catch it right away.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What sets Brule apart from fellow idiots in similar setups like Borat or Philomena Cunk is Reilly’s ability to present Brule with deep pathos and a sense of mystery, offering glimpses into a dark backstory, all made unsettling by the show’s analog-horror aesthetic.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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One gets the sense, reading DuBois, that Stanton’s fervor for political action stemmed from a dread of being governed by idiots.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Such comes with a 12-game win streak and computer numbers that make even the geeks party on Broadway.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
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Part sports hangout, part brewpub, The Ram is the sort of wide-net concept that draws families, high school football fans and — back when craft IPAs were cool — even beer geeks.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There are complicated brain-chemistry factors involved that have to do with testosterone, and dopaminergic systems, and kappa-opioid receptors, all of which seem to add up to a Jim Gaffigan joke about how men are morons compared with their wives.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
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The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The danger is in doing nothing as theocratic lunatics continue to weaponize with atomic bombs and modern missile delivery systems.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Even then, though, the popular take — the story of the lunatics taking over asylum — didn’t sit right with me.—
Paul Fischer,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dorks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dorks. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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