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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbecility
Noun
-
Reiner’s lawyers may plead insanity as part of his defense in connection with a long history of drug use and other mental health disorders.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Los Angeles entertainment and trial lawyer Tre Lovell tells USA TODAY that Reiner will likely plead not guilty by reason of insanity.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sopho derives from the Greek word for wisdom, mania from the Greek word for madness.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
-
With all the madness going on out there, this is exactly the game the world needs right now.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
California’s Napa Valley is prized for its vineyard views and quiet country roads, which create a relaxed atmosphere that blends rural simplicity with polished sophistication.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Ohtani shortened the name to Decoy for simplicity.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The luckiest among us endure these quotidian absurdities indirectly, via news stories and social media feeds, their consequences delayed until sometime in the future.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Undermain Theatre’s production, directed by Stefan Novinski, leans into the 1942 Pulitzer-winning play’s absurdity and its theme of repetitive human folly, starting with Donna Marquet’s busy set design.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As to the famous fine line between stupid and clever, the stupidity and the cleverness are all but inextricable, and to the point.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Marco Bellocchio‘s six-episode Italian-language drama is a living nightmare of the past that doubles as an agonizing manifestation of the present — a potent reminder that widespread stupidity isn’t confined to a single time or place.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imbecility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbecility. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
