dumb
gb/dˈʌm/ us/dˈʌm/
B1
Anh
~ 9600
Các nghĩa
0 nghĩa
adjective
informal
B1
property
1
stupid; lacking good sense
not smart; doing or saying things that show bad thinking or poor judgment
Mẫu sử dụng:
[someone]/[something] is/was [dumb]
Lỗi thường gặp:
Learners sometimes confuse "dumb" with "mute" or "silent." In modern English, the most common meaning of "dumb" is "stupid," and it can be rude or hurtful when used about people. Use "mute" or "nonverbal" for the meaning "unable to speak."
Từ đồng nghĩa
stupid (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and can sound more serious or harsh.)
|
silly (Often sounds lighter or more playful and less harsh than "dumb".)
|
idiotic (Stronger and more insulting than "dumb"; sounds more emotional.)
|
unwise (More formal and polite; focuses on poor judgment rather than low intelligence.)
Từ trái nghĩa
smart (General, informal opposite, suggesting intelligence or good thinking.)
|
intelligent (More formal opposite, focuses on mental ability.)
|
sensible (Opposite in terms of showing good judgment and practical thinking.)
Cụm từ đi kèm
dumb idea
|dumb mistake
|dumb question
|plain dumb
|really dumb
Chủ đề
insults
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ví dụ
- 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.
Ví dụ cho người học
- 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.
adjective
B2
property
2
temporarily speechless from shock
so surprised or upset that you cannot say anything for a short time
Mẫu sử dụng:
[someone] is/was dumb with [emotion/shock]
Lỗi thường gặp:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is about permanent disability. In this sense, "dumb" means only temporarily unable to speak because of strong feelings, similar to "speechless."
Từ đồng nghĩa
speechless (The most common neutral synonym; does not carry the other "stupid" meaning.)
|
tongue-tied (Suggests nervousness or shyness more than shock.)
|
stunned (Focuses more on the feeling of shock than on being unable to speak.)
Từ trái nghĩa
talkative (Opposite in that the person speaks a lot and is not left without words.)
|
expressive (Opposite because the person can easily show feelings in words.)
Cụm từ đi kèm
struck dumb
|dumb with shock
|dumb with amazement
|left dumb
Chủ đề
emotions
|communication
Ví dụ
- 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.
Ví dụ cho người học
- 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.
adjective
archaic
C1
property
3
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)
Mẫu sử dụng:
[someone] is [deaf and] dumb
Lỗi thường gặp:
Some learners learn this older meaning first and use "dumb" to mean "unable to speak." In modern English this sounds rude and incorrect; use "mute" or "nonverbal" instead. Also, do not confuse this with the common meaning "stupid."
Từ đồng nghĩa
mute (The modern neutral medical/descriptive term; preferred over "dumb.")
|
nonverbal (Used in modern disability and clinical contexts; avoids negative judgment.)
Từ trái nghĩa
speaking (Describes someone who can speak, without implying anything about intelligence.)
|
verbal (Describes someone who uses spoken language; technical/clinical in some contexts.)
Cụm từ đi kèm
deaf and dumb
|born dumb
|deaf, dumb and blind
Chủ đề
health
|disability
|communication
Ví dụ
- 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.
Ví dụ cho người học
- 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."
adjective
slang
C1
property
4
very; extremely (slang intensifier)
used before another adjective to mean "very" or "extremely" in informal slang
Mẫu sử dụng:
dumb [adjective]
Lỗi thường gặp:
Learners may think "dumb" here means "stupid" plus an adjective. In this slang use, it does not mean "stupid" at all; it only works as an intensifier similar to "very" or "really," and it is best kept to very informal contexts.
Từ đồng nghĩa
very (Neutral, standard intensifier; much more common and acceptable in all contexts.)
|
super (Informal intensifier with a more positive or playful tone.)
|
crazy (Slang intensifier similar in register; can sound more emotional.)
Từ trái nghĩa
slightly (Shows a small degree, the opposite of the strong emphasis of this use of "dumb.")
|
a bit (Informal phrase for low degree; contrasts with strong slang emphasis.)
Cụm từ đi kèm
dumb expensive
|dumb lucky
|dumb fast
|dumb hard
Chủ đề
slang
|intensity
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ví dụ
- 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.
Ví dụ cho người học
- 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.
Ngữ pháp
Dạng từ điển
dumb
IPA
GB/dˈʌm/
US/dˈʌm/
Âm tiết và trọng âm
dumb (1 âm tiết)
Stress on 1st syllable (dumb)
Các dạng từ
Adjective
- Base: dumb
- Comparative: dumber
- Superlative: dumbest
Họ từ
Forms
dumber
adjective
dumbest
adjective
Core family
dumbly
adverb
dumbness
noun
Related words
dumbfounded
adjective
dumbfound
verb
Negative and opposite forms
smart
adjective A2
intelligent
adjective B1
Cách diễn đạt
deaf and dumb
1/dˈɛf ˈænd dˈʌm/
fixed phrase
archaic
unable to hear and speak (archaic)
an old and now offensive phrase for a person who cannot hear and cannot speak
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm ˈæz ə ɹˈɑk/
idiom
informal
extremely stupid
very, very stupid; not intelligent at all
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
informal
make 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
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm ˈɪt dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
informal
simplify something for your audience
to explain something in a much simpler way for someone, often by removing detail or difficult ideas
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm lˈʌk/
fixed phrase
informal
good result from pure chance
good result that happens only because you were lucky, not because you were smart or planned well
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm kwˈɛst͡ʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
very 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
Ví dụ
- 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
1/nˈoʊ sˈʌt͡ʃ θˈɪŋ ˈæz ə dˈʌm kwˈɛst͡ʃən/
fixed phrase
informal
all questions are okay to ask
used to say that every question is okay and you should not feel shy or stupid for asking
Ví dụ
- 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
1/plˈeɪ dˈʌm/
idiom
informal
pretend not to know anything
to act like you do not know or understand something, usually to avoid trouble or responsibility
Ví dụ
- 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
1/stɹˈʌk dˈʌm/
idiom
literary
suddenly unable to speak from shock
suddenly unable to say anything because you feel very surprised, afraid, or upset
Ví dụ
- 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
1/dˈʌm blˈɑnd/
idiom
slang
stereotype of a silly blonde woman
an insulting stereotype that a pretty blonde woman is not intelligent
Ví dụ
- 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
2/dˈʌm blˈɑnd/
idiom
informal
Stereotype of unintelligent attractive blonde woman
An unkind idea that a woman with light yellow hair is not smart.
Ví dụ
- She hates being called a dumb blonde because it's sexist and untrue.
- The movie played on the old dumb blonde stereotype.