dumbness

noun

Definition of dumbnessnext
as in stupidness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind couldn't believe the dumbness of the people who fell for that scam

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dumbness The first 10 minutes are an incredible swirl of paranoia, alcoholism, and sluggish dumbness when Gould just needs to feed his cat. — Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait. — Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026 Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic. — Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbness
  1. stupidness
  2. dullness
  3. stupidity
  4. thickness
  5. slowness
  6. boneheadedness
  7. denseness
  8. dorkiness
Noun
  • In an email to Krebs, Valadon claimed that the repo’s commit logs show that GitHub’s default protections against committing secrets—protections designed to protect unwitting or unskilled developers against exactly this kind of stupidness—had been disabled by the repo’s administrator.
    — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Definition of stupidness
Noun
  • Meanwhile, glycerin, betaine, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, and beta-glucan flood the area with hydration, while niacinamide brightens the look of dullness and uneven tone.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The very dullness of it lends the alliances a ballast in the face of a turbulent political cycle.
    — Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dullness
Noun
  • The latest contestant in this recurring game of fiscal stupidity is Miami.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
  • That’s only made worse by the fact that it’s treated as some kind of grand betrayal rather than an impulsive act of youthful stupidity that will make for a good story one day.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
Definition of stupidity
Noun
  • These two steaks are different cuts, sizes and thicknesses, but the goal remains the same.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • No tweak hits the ground without extensive testing, both with machinery and with athletes scrutinizing everything from grip strength to rubber thickness.
    — Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of thickness
Noun
  • Such spaces create temporary refuges from the digital stream, and allow habits of slowness, concentration, and absorption to become socially reinforced.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The common thread is control, texture, and slowness, all qualities Gen Z associates with a world that existed before smartphones, gig work, and platform algorithms flattened daily life into something frictionless and disorienting.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of slowness
Noun
  • The pressure brought forth both boneheadedness and brilliance.
    — The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of boneheadedness
Noun
  • Tiernan is tall but carries the denseness of frame and core strength of a guard.
    — Matthew Mowery, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Understand how rye works in baking Though dark, dense rye bread is delicious, rye flour does not inherently create denseness in other baked goods.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of denseness
Noun
  • Sussman plays Stuart’s evolution gracefully, slowly dialing up the confidence without losing sight of the nervousness and dorkiness so central to the character.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • There’s the reserved lawyer Tom Hayward (Dónal Finn), a close friend of the Gardiners, who takes a shine to Mary’s own dorkiness.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
Definition of dorkiness

Browse Nearby Words

dumbing down
dumbness
dumbs
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Cite this Entry

“Dumbness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbness. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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