dumb 1 of 2

1
2
as in stupid
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily don't call him dumb just because he makes the occasional mistake like the rest of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

dumb

2 of 2

verb

as in to mute
to stop the noise or speech of the terrible news dumbed her for a long moment, and then she burst into tears

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dumb contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dumb are crass, dense, dull, and stupid. While all these words mean "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions," dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.

too dumb to figure out what's going on

When would crass be a good substitute for dumb?

While in some cases nearly identical to dumb, crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.

a crass, materialistic people

Where would dense be a reasonable alternative to dumb?

The synonyms dense and dumb are sometimes interchangeable, but dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.

too dense to take a hint

In what contexts can dull take the place of dumb?

Although the words dull and dumb have much in common, dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.

monotonous work that leaves the mind dull

When is stupid a more appropriate choice than dumb?

While the synonyms stupid and dumb are close in meaning, 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

Examples of dumb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Pete Townshend wrote the music and the lyrics for the inspiring story of the deaf, dumb and blind kid who sure plays a mean pinball. Dan Kelly, kansascity.com, 6 June 2017 Some Dumb American, for giving me the opportunity — and for demonstrating what doing it badly looks like. Lily Meade, Teen Vogue, 6 July 2017
Verb
Remember: when in doubt, dumb it down. Yec, Forbes, 24 June 2021 M3GAN kills people, but our gal is not about to dumb herself down for Ken. Mattie Kahn, Town & Country, 14 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for dumb 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dumb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near dumb

Cite this Entry

“Dumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumb. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

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