as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
you're not unintelligent, so you must just be stubbornly resisting all attempts to teach you something
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Recent Examples of unintelligent
Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent.
—
Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
The show and its participants were even parodied on Saturday Night Live in January, with comedian Ego Nwodim playing Amuli, and other cast members mocking people’s poor conversation skills and unintelligent dating decisions.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
Google had to re-edit a Super Bowl ad for its artificial intelligence (AI) tool Gemini because the original ad had Gemini seeming artificially unintelligent.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
Participants hesitated almost three times as long to switch off an intelligent and agreeable robot (34.5 seconds) compared to an unintelligent and non agreeable robot (11.8 seconds).
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Jan. 2013
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
The show and its participants were even parodied on Saturday Night Live in January, with comedian Ego Nwodim playing Amuli, and other cast members mocking people’s poor conversation skills and unintelligent dating decisions.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
Google had to re-edit a Super Bowl ad for its artificial intelligence (AI) tool Gemini because the original ad had Gemini seeming artificially unintelligent.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
Participants hesitated almost three times as long to switch off an intelligent and agreeable robot (34.5 seconds) compared to an unintelligent and non agreeable robot (11.8 seconds).
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Jan. 2013
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligent
Adjective
-
He was accused of being racist and of calling black people dumb.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Arte Moreno has said and done a lot of dumb things in his 23 years as owner of the Angels, but last week’s pronouncement that Angel fans don’t care about winning was downright senseless.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And to be perfectly fair, nervous gratuitous laughter at stupid jokes is not unknown among anyone, including the press corps.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Above all else, avoid the stupid mistakes that lead to injury, illness, and evacuation from the game.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hegseth’s harsh punishment is the culmination of a long, slow slide that began with a political disagreement.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The company didn’t break out Marni revenues, but Marni’s growth has been slower than that of other OTB labels, Diesel and Margiela, in recent years.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Olive oil is also used to dress simple salads, roasted vegetables, and a host of other dishes.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Others have argued that the game represents a simple life that is becoming harder to obtain.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Kudos to former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama for showing class and not responding to this insecure, ignorant symbol of racist hatred.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Walz said children fear aggressive agents; critics called the comparison ignorant and offensive.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hours later, an explosion near the airport sent a thick plume of black smoke into the air – part of a fresh wave of Iranian strikes across the Middle East on Sunday following the death of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The luxurious touch of velvet elevates any look, while the thick straps and flat sole give it a practical element.—
Ana Serrano,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unintelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintelligent. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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