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
Both of these insults are based on racist stereotypes (the lazy trope and the unintelligent trope) that have been weaponized against Black people throughout history.
—
Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
There’s often depictions of Middle Eastern men as either unintelligent or violent.
—Morgan Godvin, JSTOR Daily, 24 Apr. 2024
The stereotypical image of a Neanderthal is that of a brutish, unintelligent and uncivilized caveman.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2024
For example, Republicans and Democrats became more likely to view each other as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral, unintelligent and lazy between 2016 and 2022, according to a different Pew study based on responses from 6,174 adults.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
There’s often depictions of Middle Eastern men as either unintelligent or violent.
—Morgan Godvin, JSTOR Daily, 24 Apr. 2024
The stereotypical image of a Neanderthal is that of a brutish, unintelligent and uncivilized caveman.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2024
For example, Republicans and Democrats became more likely to view each other as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral, unintelligent and lazy between 2016 and 2022, according to a different Pew study based on responses from 6,174 adults.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligent
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
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Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
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When Luca pulls a gun on him, ordering him to drive, Spencer quickly disarms him and then slaps him for the stupid move.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
9 Mar. 2025
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Indexing gives you a better chance to ‘be less stupid.’ — Investment advisor Barry Ritholtz Those dismal statistics come to us via the latest annual SPIVA scorecard (the acronym stands for Standard and Poor’s Index vs. Active).—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The 2024-25 Bruins are slow, short on skill, inconsistent on defense and diminished in net.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
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In the men’s draw, Daniil Medvedev, the Russian powerhouse, has been crushing it on slow courts.—
David Hochman,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Prioritizing fitness amid a busy travel schedule, the former Radio City Rockette and The Talk host says her outlook is simple.—
Meredith Lepore,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Mar. 2025
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This fund is the simplest way to play the inevitable rise in lithium prices.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Greed could refer to material attachment, jealousy bleeds into hatred, and delusion encompasses similar attitudes, like living a life ignorant to Buddha’s teachings or being dull and uncaring.—
Alex Abad-Santos,
Vox,
17 Feb. 2025
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Because not only do viewers suffer through the whitest cast ever, but also one of its most politically ignorant.—
Melanie Curry,
refinery29.com,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The final product is smooth but not thin, with a thick and intriguing mouthfeel.—
Erik Ofgang,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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The average iPhone 16 measures 7.9mm (0.31 inches) thick, and the Galaxy S25 measures 7.2mm (0.28 inches) thick.—
Eric Zeman,
PCMAG,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Peter, though revered as an apostle worthy of veneration, is also portrayed in the Gospels as prone to mistakes, often foolish, and sometimes outright contradictory to God’s will.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
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The notion that women should be flawless multitaskers, managing a perfect home and career while never showing vulnerability or weakness is not only unrealistic, but also foolish.—
Nicole Lipkin,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unintelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintelligent. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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