dumb
stupid; lacking good sense
not smart; doing or saying things that show bad thinking or poor judgment
[someone]/[something] is/was [dumb]
- That was a really dumb decision, and now we’re paying for it.
- I felt so dumb after I locked my keys in the car again.
- He made a dumb joke that offended half the room.
- It’s a dumb rule that doesn’t actually help anyone.
- Don’t call yourself dumb just because you made one mistake.
- I made a dumb mistake on the test.
- That was a dumb thing to say to your boss.
- She felt dumb because she forgot his name.
- He asked a dumb question and everyone laughed.
- This game is fun, but the story is kind of dumb.
temporarily speechless from shock
so surprised or upset that you cannot say anything for a short time
[someone] is/was dumb with [emotion/shock]
- She was struck dumb with shock when she heard the news.
- For a moment I was dumb with amazement and couldn’t answer.
- The audience sat dumb with horror as the images appeared on the screen.
- He stood there dumb and motionless, unable to respond.
- The comment left me dumb and unsure what to say next.
- I was dumb with shock when I saw the bill.
- She went dumb for a second and then started to cry.
- He sat dumb with fear and did not move.
- The class was dumb with surprise after the teacher shouted.
- The bad news made us dumb and quiet.
unable to speak (archaic, offensive)
not able to speak because of a physical problem (old word that is now seen as rude and not used in modern polite language)
[someone] is [deaf and] dumb
- The old report used the term "deaf and dumb," which is now considered offensive.
- In the nineteenth century, many schools for the "deaf and dumb" were founded in Europe.
- Modern style guides advise against calling a person "dumb" to mean unable to speak.
- The character is described as a dumb boy who communicates only with gestures.
- The phrase "deaf, dumb and blind" often appears in older legal and medical texts.
- Today we do not call a person "dumb" if they cannot speak.
- Old books sometimes use the phrase "deaf and dumb."
- Use the word "mute" instead of "dumb" in this meaning.
- Calling a person "dumb" in this way is rude and old-fashioned.
- Some laws still include the old words "deaf and dumb."
very; extremely (slang intensifier)
used before another adjective to mean "very" or "extremely" in informal slang
dumb [adjective]
- Parking in the city is dumb expensive now.
- We got dumb lucky and found front-row tickets at the last minute.
- That exam was dumb hard, even for the top students.
- His new phone is dumb fast compared to his old one.
- The line for coffee was dumb long this morning.
- This laptop is dumb expensive for a student.
- We were dumb lucky to get a table so fast.
- The test was dumb hard for me.
- The bus was dumb full, so I had to stand.
- Her new car is dumb fast on the highway.
- Base: dumb
- Comparative: dumber
- Superlative: dumbest
deaf and dumb
1unable to hear and speak (archaic)
an old and now offensive phrase for a person who cannot hear and cannot speak
- The old sign still uses the phrase "school for the deaf and dumb."
- Modern writers avoid calling anyone deaf and dumb.
- The term deaf and dumb appears in some historical documents.
dumb as a rock
1extremely stupid
very, very stupid; not intelligent at all
- He’s nice, but he’s dumb as a rock.
- They treated her like she was dumb as a rock just because of her accent.
- Calling someone dumb as a rock is pretty rude.
dumb down
1make something simpler and less deep
to make something simpler and easier to understand by removing difficult ideas, often so much that it becomes less good
- The TV show really dumbs down the science to reach a wider audience.
- The editor asked the writer not to dumb down the article for experts.
- Some teachers worry that exams have been dumbed down over the years.
dumb it down
1simplify something for your audience
to explain something in a much simpler way for someone, often by removing detail or difficult ideas
- Can you dumb it down for me? I’m not a lawyer.
- The presenter tried to dumb it down so everyone could follow.
- He refused to dumb it down, saying the audience could handle the details.
dumb luck
1good result from pure chance
good result that happens only because you were lucky, not because you were smart or planned well
- It was just dumb luck that I caught the last train home.
- By dumb luck, she sat next to a producer who later offered her a job.
- He admits it was dumb luck, not skill, that made his video go viral.
dumb question
1very obvious or naive question
a question that seems very simple or shows that the person does not understand something basic; often used by the speaker about their own question
- This might be a dumb question, but how do you turn this thing on?
- There are no dumb questions in this class, so please ask anything.
- He rolled his eyes and said, "That’s a dumb question; of course I remembered."
no such thing as a dumb question
1all questions are okay to ask
used to say that every question is okay and you should not feel shy or stupid for asking
- In this workshop, there’s no such thing as a dumb question.
- Teachers often say there’s no such thing as a dumb question to encourage students.
- Remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question, so speak up.
play dumb
1pretend not to know anything
to act like you do not know or understand something, usually to avoid trouble or responsibility
- He just played dumb when they asked who broke the window.
- She played dumb about the surprise party so he wouldn’t guess.
- The company can’t play dumb now that the emails have been leaked.
struck dumb
1suddenly unable to speak from shock
suddenly unable to say anything because you feel very surprised, afraid, or upset
- The crowd was struck dumb by the sudden announcement.
- I was struck dumb when I saw how much the repairs would cost.
- She stood there struck dumb, staring at the empty room.
dumb blonde
1stereotype of a silly blonde woman
an insulting stereotype that a pretty blonde woman is not intelligent
- The movie avoids the usual "dumb blonde" stereotype.
- She’s tired of being treated like a dumb blonde just because of her hair color.
- Calling someone a dumb blonde is sexist and offensive.
dumb blonde
2Stereotype of unintelligent attractive blonde woman
An unkind idea that a woman with light yellow hair is not smart.
- She hates being called a dumb blonde because it's sexist and untrue.
- The movie played on the old dumb blonde stereotype.