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
  • McCall tried to create a contrast between the locations, with the Cady clan’s surroundings having an overgrown quality reflecting the uncontrollable insanity at the heart of the family.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
  • Dominguez entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of insanity
Noun
  • This party track introduced audiences to a version of Tito Double P that radiated a lighthearted madness — fueled by Skyy vodka and Old Parr whiskey, as per the song’s lyrics.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • This episode does a really great job at portraying Rhaenyra’s slip toward madness or, if not madness per se, then a much more unhinged version of her former self.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of madness
Noun
  • That’s the level of idiocy in the Los Angeles city government.
    — Susan Shelley, Daily News, 13 May 2026
  • The idiocy of these people knows no bounds.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of idiocy
Noun
  • Apple’s entire business is predicated on the consumer desire for simplicity.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2026
  • But beyond speed and simplicity, the Breakaway/Build model also requires trust.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
Definition of simplicity
Noun
  • The only thing this movie takes seriously is its wholehearted commitment to absurdity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • Mason has a field day riffing on the absurdities of contemporary academic culture and flagging the divides that separate what are often called coastal elites at the western and eastern edges of the country.
    — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • 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
  • The stupidity of losing his car was one thing; the cruelty of forcing her to make that choice was quite another.
    — Emily Ruskovich, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of stupidity

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imbecility
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Cite this Entry

“Imbecility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbecility. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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