as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the show's amateur sleuth always has to explain to the dim-witted police chief who really committed the murder
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Recent Examples of dim-witted
Comedian Al Campbell played a dim-witted commentator with the ludicrous name Barry Shitpeas.
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Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Admittedly, laying off development staff to pay investors that fund publishing is a bit like cutting off your legs while trying to escape from a rampaging lion, but most of the people in publishing management are rather dim-witted.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Written and produced by John Hughes, the irreverent and indelible holiday staple follows an 8-year-old who must defend his family’s sprawling Chicago home from two dim-witted robbers after his family members accidentally abandon him while en route to their Christmas vacation in Paris.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2024
Hybrids are also, to put it bluntly, a bit dim-witted.
—Rebecca Heisman, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
But what held your interest was the anti-spectacle of a tough little punk band blazing through songs about big-hearted losers and dim-witted politicians.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2024
It must be said that wrong CEOs are not dim-witted or evil.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2024
Laszlo, like the rest of the characters, is hilariously dim-witted, which feels like a rarity right now when antiheroes and dark comedy rule television.
—Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Aug. 2024
Even with the original performances of Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried to live up to, Renée Rapp and Avantika shine as queen bee Regina George and her dim-witted lieutenant Karen, and Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho gives outsider Janis a livelier presence than the sarcastic Lizzy Caplan did.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Admittedly, laying off development staff to pay investors that fund publishing is a bit like cutting off your legs while trying to escape from a rampaging lion, but most of the people in publishing management are rather dim-witted.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Written and produced by John Hughes, the irreverent and indelible holiday staple follows an 8-year-old who must defend his family’s sprawling Chicago home from two dim-witted robbers after his family members accidentally abandon him while en route to their Christmas vacation in Paris.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2024
Hybrids are also, to put it bluntly, a bit dim-witted.
—Rebecca Heisman, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024
But what held your interest was the anti-spectacle of a tough little punk band blazing through songs about big-hearted losers and dim-witted politicians.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2024
It must be said that wrong CEOs are not dim-witted or evil.
—Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2024
Laszlo, like the rest of the characters, is hilariously dim-witted, which feels like a rarity right now when antiheroes and dark comedy rule television.
—Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Aug. 2024
Even with the original performances of Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried to live up to, Renée Rapp and Avantika shine as queen bee Regina George and her dim-witted lieutenant Karen, and Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho gives outsider Janis a livelier presence than the sarcastic Lizzy Caplan did.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim-witted
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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So ridiculous the referee initially had trouble believing that anyone could be so reckless & stupid.The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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And there was no such thing ever as a bad decision or a stupid question.Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Two juveniles darted across a branch, and the younger female began to hunt flying insects, moving in a slow crouch.Jessica Camille Aguirre, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025
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But Williams and the Bears offense, which have struggled all season with slow starts, certainly didn’t look cool and collected prior to the fourth quarter.Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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My top answer is a simple and no-brainer recommendation: Wash your hands with soap and water.Amanda Schupak, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2025
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Keep your indoor money tree healthy and lush with these simple pruning tips.Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Turn the heat to medium-low, add the grits and cook, stirring frequently, until thick, creamy, and tender, 15–20 minutes.Ryan McCarthy, Saveur, 16 Jan. 2025
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Some of the cables he’s found are as thick as a pinky finger and, when attached to the right tree, are strong enough to anchor an elephant calf.Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Anyone who says she wasn't properly screened is either ignorant or has an agenda.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025
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Who would go out of their way to remain ignorant in the face of an informative lecture on bunker oil?Rachel Kushner, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dim-witted
Cite this Entry
“Dim-witted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim-witted. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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