Synonym Chooser

How is the word asinine different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of asinine are fatuous, foolish, silly, and simple. While all these words mean "actually or apparently deficient in intelligence," asinine suggests utter and contemptible failure to use normal rationality or perception.

an asinine plot

When could fatuous be used to replace asinine?

While the synonyms fatuous and asinine are close in meaning, fatuous implies foolishness, inanity, and disregard of reality.

fatuous conspiracy theories

When is foolish a more appropriate choice than asinine?

The meanings of foolish and asinine largely overlap; however, foolish implies the character of being or seeming unable to use judgment, discretion, or good sense.

foolish stunts

When can silly be used instead of asinine?

The synonyms silly and asinine are sometimes interchangeable, but silly suggests failure to act as a rational being especially by ridiculous behavior.

the silly antics of revelers

When would simple be a good substitute for asinine?

In some situations, the words simple and asinine are roughly equivalent. However, simple implies a degree of intelligence inadequate to cope with anything complex or involving mental effort.

considered people simple who had trouble with computers

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 asinine What's worse than luring Robert De Niro to Netflix for a boring, soulless and asinine political thriller? Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 Alonso may not be the priority at first base for the Bronx Bombers, but to say there is zero interest is asinine. Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024 Altman’s is a plainly asinine claim; a bunch of code running in a data center is not the same as a brain. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024 Comedy videos about customer service and asinine Atlanta eatery rules were already popular on TikTok but have seen major pickup since Lee’s viral videos. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023 Rogozin's claim that the only evidence Roscosmos could offer of the Moon landings was a book by Leonov is asinine. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 8 May 2023 Damning emails, texts, and deposition testimony made public during the Dominion case revealed that on-air hosts and executives, and many others at Fox, privately said in 2020 that the vote-rigging claims against Dominion were asinine. Jennifer Korn, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023 Leo Frank, the Jewish superintendent of the local pencil factory, thinks the whole event is asinine, but the sticky, creeping quality of that melody should be a warning. Vulture, 16 Mar. 2023 Completely asinine? Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asinine
Adjective
  • Making stupid internet fodder has never been easier than now, with the prevalence of AI image generators making everything from deepfakes to memes.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Much like the stupid prions wreaking havoc in his brain.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This week’s episode tackles the minefield of casting, as execs melt down over the racial politics of casting their absurd Kool-Aid tentpole.
    Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
  • But Stewart lived at the top of their board when on the clock at No. 17 — not just because of his 10.0 Relative Athletic Score or absurd combine workout.
    Paul Dehner Jr., New York Times, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • But many will, in situations where they’re allowed to stretch out, go deep, get silly, or eat hot wings while trying to answer questions.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
  • Have a Dance Party Clear the furniture, cue up a playlist with all of Mom's favorite hits (and a few silly, kid-friendly jams), and let loose.
    Laura Broadwell, Parents, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • But the Liberals are an electoral machine—something of a rarity on the center-left—that would be foolish to bet against.
    Daniel Block, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025
  • His cigars weren’t as nasty as his habit of chasing bad money with worse—high living and foolish investments, with second-rate writing meant to plug the gap.
    Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And jingoism, idiotic, is not patriotism.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But, here, the characters suffer from the horror film syndrome of making one idiotic decision after another because that’s what the film requires to send the action in its intended direction.
    Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Tauruses will go crazy for something chic, functional, and soft to the touch.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2023
  • Before getting into the chaos of episode 5, that episode 4 cliff hanger was crazy.
    Calie Schepp, EW.com, 6 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.
    Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Gotta start earlier, and maybe involve OG mad Bridges more.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Told the victim was mad because the suspect stepped on his shoes, Torre said the right thing to do would have been to wipe his shoes clean and walk away.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Asinine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asinine. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on asinine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!