stupid

1 of 2

adjective

stu·​pid ˈstü-pəd How to pronounce stupid (audio)
ˈstyü-
1
a
: slow of mind : obtuse
b
: given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner
c
: lacking intelligence or reason : brutish
2
: dulled in feeling or sensation : torpid
still stupid from the sedative
3
: marked by or resulting from unreasoned thinking or acting : senseless
a stupid decision
4
a
: lacking interest or point
a stupid event
b
: vexatious, exasperating
the stupid car won't start
stupidly adverb
stupidness noun

stupid

2 of 2

noun

: a stupid person

Frequently Asked Questions

Is stupider a word?

Stupider is a perfectly good word that has been in use for hundreds of years. More stupid is also commonly used for the same purpose.

Is stupidest a word?

The word stupidest has been in use for hundreds of years; there is nothing wrong with it. Most stupid means the same thing, and people who don't like stupidest should feel free to use it instead.

How do you use stupider in a sentence?

Stupider can be used in any sentence in which degrees of stupidity are being compared. Many respected writers have used it, among them Louisa May Alcott, L. M. Montgomery, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas Hardy, and Jane Austen. In George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman, Don Juan says "Still, you must have noticed in your profession that even a stupid general can win battles when the enemy's general is a little stupider."

Choose the Right Synonym for stupid

stupid, dull, dense, crass, dumb mean lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions.

stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.

stupid students just keeping the seats warm
stupid with drink

dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.

monotonous work that leaves the mind dull

dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.

too dense to take a hint

crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.

a crass, materialistic people

dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.

too dumb to figure out what's going on

Example Sentences

Adjective She angrily described her boss as a stupid old man. He had a stupid expression on his face. I'm not stupid enough to fall for that trick. Why are you being so stupid? It was stupid of me to try to hide this from you. We were stupid to wait so long before we made a decision. I did some pretty stupid things when I was young. Two glasses of wine are enough to make me stupid. I was stupid with fatigue. Noun a genius at math, but a total stupid when it came to his love life See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Freeman, who previously served on the City-County Council, has called the idea stupid, said its part of a Democratic war on cars, and that more enforcement and personal responsibility was the way to address pedestrians being killed or hurt in crashes, not a blanket ban. The Indianapolis Star, 2 June 2023 If Succession was a show about who was winning at business, the title would have gone to Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) or Connor in a sickening, stupid twist. Carrie Wittmer, Men's Health, 29 May 2023 No one should be surprised that the resolution of our most moronic fiscal policy, the federal debt ceiling, involved our stupidest social policy, work requirements for assistance programs. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2023 At least this view, whatever its faults, isn’t stupid. Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 26 May 2023 And once humans remember the joys of sitting in large crowds in movie theaters laughing at stupid jokes, the world will begin to heal. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2023 But many enthusiasts think the new house style is an ugly stupid disaster. Dan Neil, wsj.com, 11 May 2023 That, to me, that's the legacy: Don't waste time worrying about stupid stuff. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 4 May 2023 When an earthquake unconvincingly cracks open the ground, the requisite stupid teenager finds a certain book, unleashing the evil within despite all the obligatory warnings. Brian Lowry, CNN, 20 Apr. 2023
Noun
The stupid! Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 July 2021 People can be high achievers and still knee-walking stupid. Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2022 It is described as a stupid-kids-in-the-woods story with a wry twist. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 20 Sep. 2022 But those options continue to be out of reach for the majority of those who are afflicted with this stupid, infuriating skin condition. Megan McIntyre, refinery29.com, 9 June 2022 Somebody who is dyslexic sometimes has this fear of being perceived as [stupid]. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2022 But right now, there’s a whole lot of stupid—Keizer has it right about that. David Treuer, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021 In the final analysis, there are few things in tech that bring out the stupid to quite the degree that Apple does. Andy Meek, BGR, 17 June 2021 The two camps trade insults regularly on the platform, with people on opposing sides calling each other stupid or worse. Rong Xiaoqing, Curbed, 23 May 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stupid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle French stupide, from Latin stupidus, from stupēre to be numb, be astonished — more at type entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1640, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stupid was in 1640

Dictionary Entries Near stupid

Cite this Entry

“Stupid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupid. Accessed 9 Jul. 2023.

Kids Definition

stupid

adjective
stu·​pid
ˈst(y)ü-pəd
1
a
: dull of mind : dense
b
: given to unwise decisions or actions : unthinking
2
: dulled in feeling or sensation
3
: showing or resulting from foolish thinking or acting : senseless
a stupid mistake
4
: not interesting or worthwhile : boring
a stupid movie
stupidly adverb
stupidness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stupid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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