1
as in stupid
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the fatuous questions that the audience members asked after the lecture suggested to the oceanographer that they had understood little
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foolish
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
ignoring the avalanche warnings, the fatuous skiers continued on their way down the trail
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fatuous
Second, this rationale for regulation proved to be illogical and fatuous as conceded by U.S. Courts and the Federal Communications Commission in the decades since.
—
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
This fatuous facial gesture is immediately relatable but also, as Locke discusses below, one that can be read in a number of different ways.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Schools must accept that mission statements without curriculum alignment are fatuous; the way schools define themselves is through the experience that flows from their curriculum.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Neither Berlanti nor Gilroy believe in them beyond the fatuous setup of their competitiveness with each other.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fatuous
Carine Harb, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
This fatuous facial gesture is immediately relatable but also, as Locke discusses below, one that can be read in a number of different ways.
—Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 20 Nov. 2024
Schools must accept that mission statements without curriculum alignment are fatuous; the way schools define themselves is through the experience that flows from their curriculum.
—Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Neither Berlanti nor Gilroy believe in them beyond the fatuous setup of their competitiveness with each other.
—Armond White, National Review, 17 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fatuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatuous
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
-
Making a prediction for Game 7 is obviously foolish.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
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This seems foolish since the U.S. has some 25-30% of the world’s coal, which is even more than China.—
Jude Clemente,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
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Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
-
The College World Series semifinals concluded Wednesday, allowing Houston Astros manager Joe Espada another chance to marvel at an absurd ascension.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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The nutrient can indeed help with all of those, but sometimes, the claims turn absurd.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
20 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
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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
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Jeff: This has been such a silly way to seed the in-season tournament.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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Between silly videos and heartfelt tributes, Palmer has been relishing in motherhood.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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In his formal lecture to the Academy, Campbell offered some reflections on the simple science that gave rise to the treatment, and to its wide array of applications.—
Benjamin Mazer,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2025
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But the system isn’t as simple as the governor suggests.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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And jingoism, idiotic, is not patriotism.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
7 Mar. 2025
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But, here, the characters suffer from the horror film syndrome of making one idiotic decision after another because that’s what the film requires to send the action in its intended direction.—
Scott Phillips,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fatuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatuous. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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