1
as in silent
deliberately refraining from speech
the mayor has chosen to remain dumb about her activities that night
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
he prefers to remain dumb, and replies in monosyllables if really pressed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dumb
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
Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022
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
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
Don’t dumb the game down.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumb
Adjective
-
This powerful documentary gives voice to their silent cries.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
7 May 2025
-
One of the radio outages appears to have taken place on November 6, when controllers overseeing Newark went silent for more than two minutes, according to air traffic audio from the website LiveATC.net and first published in November by the YouTube channel VASAviation.—
Casey Tolan,
CNN Money,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
In one sense, this isn’t an entirely stupid proposition.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
3 May 2025
-
Vel rails against the offender, saying her lover was the kind of warrior the Ghor rebels are trying to be and that her loss is both incalculable and stupid.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Economists and geopolitical experts, however, are more reserved in their appraisal of the agreement.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
-
Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade and toss to coat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Its emotional impact is muted and its romance almost purely conceptual, but the fact that Qiaoqiao and Brother Bin’s affection — or even more awareness — survive all of this tumult and transformation is moving unto itself, as is Jia’s dedication to documenting that change.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
9 May 2025
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Yet their evaluations of CIA excesses are oddly muted, as if botched attempts to murder foreign leaders were just another form of intelligence failure.—
James Santel,
The Atlantic,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
10 Aug. 2023
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Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Combs Grows Frustrated Combs was animated during Ventura’s cross-examination, appearing somewhat frustrated with the tedious, slow pace that his attorney was taking when quizzing Ventura.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
18 May 2025
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Life has likely felt a bit nebulous and slow for you in the past year, Cancer.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
In 2024, China's approach to U.S. tariffs remained relatively restrained.—
Kate Nalepinski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
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Maybe this will be a rare case of restrained longing.—
Laura Bradley,
Vulture,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
Gert laughed, too, until the two of them were shushing each other quite loudly.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
3 May 2025
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One day at the Scottish Open, a volunteer held up the quiet sign and shushed the crowd as Morikawa prepared to hit from the fairway.—
Brody Miller,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumb. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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