moron

noun

mo·​ron ˈmȯr-ˌän 

plural morons

1

: a foolish or stupid person

… once their business is over [clients] go right back to thinking you're either a crook or a moron. Realty is not a friendly business. It only seems to be.

—Richard Ford

2

dated, now offensive; see usage paragraph below : a person affected with mild intellectual disability

moronic

mə-ˈrä-nik 

mȯ-

adjective

moronically

mə-ˈrä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

mȯ-

adverb

moronism

ˈmȯr-ˌä-ˌni-zəm 

noun

moronity

mə-ˈrä-nə-tē 

mȯ-

noun

Usage of Moron

The terms idiot, imbecile, moron, and their derivatives were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts. These uses were broadly rejected by the close of the 20th century and are now considered offensive.

Synonyms

• airhead
• birdbrain
• blockhead
• bonehead
• bubblehead
• chowderhead
• chucklehead
• clodpoll
• clodpole
• clot [British]
• cluck
• clunk
• cretin
• cuddy [British dialect]
• cuddie
• deadhead
• dim bulb [slang]
• dimwit
• dip
• dodo
• dolt
• donkey
• doofus [slang]
• dope
• dork [slang]
• dullard
• dum-dum
• dumbbell
• dumbhead
• dummkopf
• dummy
• dunce
• dunderhead
• fathead
• gander
• golem
• goof
• goon
• half-wit
• hammerhead
• hardhead
• idiot
• ignoramus
• imbecile
• jackass
• know-nothing
• knucklehead
• lamebrain
• loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
• loon
• lump
• lunkhead
• meathead
• mome [archaic]
• mug [chiefly British]
• mutt
• natural
• nimrod [slang]
• nincompoop
• ninny
• ninnyhammer
• nit [chiefly British]
• nitwit
• noddy
• noodle
• numskull
• numbskull
• oaf
• pinhead
• prat [British]
• ratbag [chiefly Australian]
• saphead
• schlub [slang]
• shlub
• schnook [slang]
• simpleton
• stock
• stupe
• stupid
• thickhead
• turkey
• woodenhead
• yahoo
• yo-yo

Examples of moron in a Sentence

They were acting like a bunch of morons.

I can't believe I did something so stupid. I feel like a complete moron.

Word History

Etymology

irregular from Greek mōros foolish, stupid

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

moron

noun

mo·​ron ˈmō(ə)r-ˌän 

ˈmȯ(ə)r-

: a very stupid person

moronic

mə-ˈrän-ik 

mȯ-

adjective

Medical Definition

moron

noun

mo·​ron ˈmō(ə)r-ˌän, ˈmȯ(ə)r- 

dated, now offensive; see usage paragraph below

: a person affected with mild intellectual disability

Usage of Moron

The terms idiot, imbecile, moron, and their derivatives were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts. These uses were broadly rejected by the close of the 20th century and are now considered offensive.

Legal Definition

moron

noun

mo·​ron ˈmōr-ˌän 

: a person with a mild or moderate intellectual disability

—used formerly see also idiot