as in idiot
a stupid person
only an imbecile would leave their car unlocked, with the keys in the ignition, and then be surprised when the vehicle was stolen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or imbecilic
as in idiotic
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imbecile
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
But Newsom was voted into office by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, and he’s handled the unprecedented dual challenges of COVID-19 and climate change reasonably well and far better than the imbecile Trump.
—Steve Lopez Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2021
Sam Sacks, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2016
Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2016
Noun
The speech drew death threats and charges of antisemitism—an imbecilic response, and also a pointed reminder of Germany’s relentless crackdown on criticism of Israel.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
But Newsom was voted into office by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, and he’s handled the unprecedented dual challenges of COVID-19 and climate change reasonably well and far better than the imbecile Trump.
—Steve Lopez Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2021
Adjective
Evil is insolent and strong; beauty enchanting but rare; goodness very apt to be weak; folly very apt to be defiant; wickedness to carry the day; imbeciles to be in great places, people of sense in small, and mankind generally unhappy.
—Sam Sacks, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2016
Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.
—Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbecile
Adjective
-
That’s just idiotic foreign policy.—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The Chiefs open with the J’s Friday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is patently idiotic, but at least the loser can blame it on the bossa nova.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Seth Rollins gassed Bron up by saying Jey Uso thinks his dad is a loser and his uncle is a moron.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The reigning Super Bowl champs better hope that’s the dumbest thing that one of their players does this season.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Sometimes, actors play a slightly dumber iteration of themselves; think James Van Der Beek in Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23 and Liam Neeson in Life’s Too Short (a performance that got Neeson cast in this year’s The Naked Gun).—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So, the parallel thing that I’ve been frustrated by recently is not just calling Trump stupid, but calling Trump voters stupid.—
Drew Broussard
May 22,
Literary Hub,
22 May 2025
-
Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But giving someone as historically great as Derrick Henry added motivation, certainly may prove to be a foolish decision from Delpit.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
There’s highly capable support in the cast from the unfailingly superb Vázquez, emanating gravitas, humanity and barely contained anger at the increasing frequency and spread of wildfires and the foolish refusal of those in power to address the growing threat.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
How dare your family care so much about inane Mother’s Day festivities?—
Liana Finck,
New Yorker,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The latest irritant to cross our paths is the inane newest tinkering with the digital subscription.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The fatuous Fed/1930s narrative raises a basic question: why are successful investors paid so well?—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
-
So although these actions may seem fatuous on the surface, the next four years will be about looking for the undercurrents.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Gavras and Arbery may have other, more singular aims in mind, hidden beneath all the obvious skewering of witless wealth.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Austin doesn't even seem to register his witless neighbor's lack of social skills until Craig punches his lights out—supposedly in fun—during a guys' night get-together.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imbecile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbecile. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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