dumb 1 of 3

1
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

dumb

2 of 3

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dumbness

3 of 3

noun

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
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
This includes throwing out 31 of 47 runners dumb enough to run on him in 2022. James Yasko, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023 Don’t dumb the game down. Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2022 See All Example Sentences for dumb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumb
Adjective
  • Mexican men were dismissed as violent Panchos and stupid Pedros.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
  • There’s more stupid romance around harder substances but few chemicals are more hazardous to ambition than THC.
    Benjamin Hale June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Tillman, who is generally more reserved than spotlight-chasing players in his role, strode up and shanked his attempt off the post to his left, perhaps hampered by the foul on his plant leg.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 30 June 2025
  • The reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass approximately 0.12 acres.
    Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The consumer price index ticked up just 0.1% from April to May, the government said last week, a sign that price pressures are muted.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 June 2025
  • At first, Momo's response to the loss seemed muted.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • Juicy, tender ribs are hard to beat, and cooking them low and slow is the key to achieving that irresistible fall-off-the-bone texture and deep, savory flavor.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
  • And then there is a style that believes reading should mimic the obstruction and slow struggle of writing.
    Benjamin Hale June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • His cooking balances the delicate, restrained flavors of traditional kaiseki with the richer, more robust flavors he’s explored in Western kitchens.
    Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • Some of those more restrained alternatives would demand less of the U.S. military and thus cost far less, too.
    JENNIFER LIND, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • For a start, the cheers from the nearby Andy Murray Arena are loud and booming, but so too is the exclusive balcony area hanging just to the side of the court, where people are sipping their wine or their Pimm’s and chatting loudly (the judge on court 1 has to shush them at one point).
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • The crowd had just spent an entire overtime shushing each other.
    Tony East, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The thickness that each press can achieve also varies.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
  • Click on the round brush head, and the tool transforms into a hair dryer brush that’s ideal for all hair lengths and thicknesses.
    Olivia Cigliano, Footwear News, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • The simplest ideas in mathematics can also be the most perplexing.
    Leila Sloman, Wired News, 29 June 2025
  • The director similarly molds F1 around his star’s more reluctant image: Pitt portrays a man of few words who seems nostalgic for simpler times in his industry.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumb. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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