sophomoric

adjective

soph·​o·​mor·​ic ˌsäf-ˈmȯr-ik 

-ˈmär-,

 also  ˌsȯf-,

 or  ˌsä-fə-,

 or  ˌsȯ-fə-

1

: conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature

a sophomoric argument

2

: lacking in maturity, taste, or judgment

sophomoric humor

Did you know?

Sophomores get a bad rap. A lot of people seem to think they're foolish (no matter what they do), when they themselves know they're pretty wise. The history of the words sophomore and sophomoric (which developed from sophomore) proves that it has always been tough to be a sophomore. Those words probably come from a combination of the Greek terms sophos (which means "wise") and mōros (which means "foolish"). But sophomores can take comfort in the fact that some very impressive words, including philosopher and sophisticated, are also related to sophos.

Examples of sophomoric in a Sentence

His behavior at the party was sophomoric.

Recent Examples on the Web

Gardner-Johnson took a shot at Swifties on Friday with a message on his hoodie that at best was sophomoric and at worst misogynistic. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2025

And the choreography comes off as clunky and sophomoric, with all the high school connotations therein. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025

VCs might also be eager to take the cash and lose the sophomoric posturing. —Iain Martin, Forbes, 4 Feb. 2025

Most Super Bowl commercials rely on celebrity cameos, sophomoric jokes and ideas that nod to days gone by. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sophomoric

• hyperbaric

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Kids Definition

sophomoric

adjective

soph·​o·​mor·​ic ˌsäf-ə-ˈmōr-ik 

-ˈmȯr-,

-ˈmär-

1

: conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature

a sophomoric argument

2

: lacking in maturity, taste, or judgment

sophomoric humor