as in idiot
a stupid person
he's no dum-dum—he made his first million by 25
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Recent Examples of dum-dum
In the movie’s early scenes, while Buckley’s Agnes is busy tossing her hair in witch-of-the-woods fashion, his William is a truly believable lovestruck dum-dum.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 Nov. 2025
Somewhere out there was a family of blond dum-dums who inexplicably ended up with a brunette genius.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025
As such, the political commentary goes too broad, accusing the public of being dum-dums and filing the tired charge that politicians are phony.
—Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
Put another way, why are there no dum-dums under the Dome?
—Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 10 Dec. 2024
But Williams, often shirtless (and that’s not a bad thing), gets laughs as a dum-dum who speaks in a very high, piping voice.
—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 14 June 2023
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 Nov. 2025
Somewhere out there was a family of blond dum-dums who inexplicably ended up with a brunette genius.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025
As such, the political commentary goes too broad, accusing the public of being dum-dums and filing the tired charge that politicians are phony.
—Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
Put another way, why are there no dum-dums under the Dome?
—Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 10 Dec. 2024
But Williams, often shirtless (and that’s not a bad thing), gets laughs as a dum-dum who speaks in a very high, piping voice.
—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 14 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dum-dum
Noun
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
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Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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There is nothing in the past year that suggests that the portion of this global event that will take place in the U.S. will proceed with anything less than exhausting chaos, a spoonful of stupid, and a dash of tragedy.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Jan. 2026
-
And then, the rest of her life, filled with big stupids and everything else, will begin.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
19 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In one drill, several team members stood forty yards upslope, pulling, as others below guided and balanced a silicone dummy in a litter.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Becker, 31, is one of the few young adults pursuing the fading art, which sees her sharing a stage with two dummies named Jerry and Ronnie.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
23 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dum-dum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dum-dum. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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