imbecility

noun

ˌim-bə-ˈsi-lə-tē How to pronounce imbecility (audio)
Definition of imbecilitynext
1
as in insanity
a foolish act or idea was arrested for the sheer imbecility of speeding down a dark road with no headlights on

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in madness
lack of good sense or judgment we were stunned by the imbecility of the ideas presented by this once-respected biologist

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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 imbecility When Constanze reaches her breaking point, Mozart’s imbecility is exposed as fragility. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbecility
  1. insanity
  2. madness
  3. idiocy
  4. simplicity
  5. absurdity
  6. stupidity
Noun
  • This case involved a client who, after years of competency litigation, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to a state forensic hospital.
    — Schnelle Tonge, Sun Sentinel, 16 July 2026
  • This is reaching the level of insanity in the state of Georgia.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of insanity
Noun
  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB shares his method behind the madness.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
  • Neill plays Mark in director Andrzej Żuławski’s fearless study of madness, opposite the incredible Isabelle Adjani as his increasingly disturbed wife, Anna.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • My favorite thing in the world to watch or try to do is somebody who has full confidence in their idiocy.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • That’s the level of idiocy in the Los Angeles city government.
    — Susan Shelley, Daily News, 13 May 2026
Definition of idiocy
Noun
  • Unlike trends that involve shoving one pastry into another, salt bread’s virality is rooted in simplicity, capturing attention with little other than butter and a bit of salt.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 July 2026
  • Platformization and simplicity drive cybersecurity buyers, and organizations with an appetite for new companies are often looking to complete their platform capabilities.
    — Rohit Dhamankar, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • All sorts of factors—religious fervor, drug trips, the absurdities of aging—an unmoor a person’s mind and spirit.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • Still, the gleeful absurdity of that concept came with its own humanity.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • His eventual dismissal in second-half stoppage time was an exercise in rash stupidity, crashing through Spain’s teenage center back Pau Cubarsi.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Here are the three reasons a good employee sits on a great AI discovery, and none of them is stupidity.
    — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of stupidity

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imbecilities
imbecility
imbibe
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Cite this Entry

“Imbecility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbecility. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on imbecility

Nglish: Translation of imbecility for Spanish Speakers

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