dumb down

Definition of dumb downnext

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 dumb down In other words, rather than admitting more qualified applicants, the administration has chosen to pressure professors to dumb down the material. Adam B. Summers, Oc Register, 11 June 2026 Those attempts to dumb down devices continue in the streaming age. Janko Roettgers, The Verge, 28 May 2026 The one remaining source of substantial opposition remains the faculty, who frequently claim that shorter degrees will dumb down expectations for students. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 13 Feb. 2026 The apparent solution among the education establishment is not to challenge kids to stretch their minds and hit the books but rather to dumb down the curriculum so everyone passes. Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 18 Dec. 2025 For once, the Perrys promised, over many, many drinks, a movie would be made that didn’t dumb down the story on which it was based. Susan Cheever, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2025 Parents responded that such changes would dumb down San Francisco schools. Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 May 2025 The company wanted to ensure that amateurs could safely explore the car’s uncanny capabilities but didn’t want to dumb down the thrills. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumb down
Verb
  • Movies tend to work with bold strokes and colors, and absolute ideas; cinema is a popular medium, and both its power and its pitfalls come from its ability to simplify and underline.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • If the process keeps causing the same problem, simplify it while the issue is visible.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • For readers who understood music better than theoretical physics, Sessions simplified Einstein’s thinking without oversimplifying it.
    Liz Guthridge, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Opponents warn a single ‘Jewish’ ethnic box oversimplifies diverse Jewish histories and risks echoing past government tracking, amid elevated antisemitism and debate over religion, ancestry and culture.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • To maximize their effectiveness, the United States should build global support for refocusing their strategy, streamlining their operations, and making new investments in them.
    Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Even after efforts under Bass to streamline hiring and boost recruitment, Chief Jim McDonnell has warned that the department may not be adequately staffed in time for the 2028 Olympics.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dumb down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumb%20down. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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