as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
kept getting typecast as the hero's dorky sidekick
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Recent Examples of dorky
Just this dorky kid that wanted to hide.
—
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025
The dorky, ScreenLife-adjacent technology introduced into the movie (which also includes oversized and dramatically embossed text messages emblazoned across the screen that evoke more sophisticated Word Art) is a little narratively clunky and contrived.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
While those early performances cemented his status as the typical dorky average-Joe teen, Hall evolved into a versatile actor who has played heroes, villains, and everything in between.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Admittedly, their dorky little fist bump is kind of cute.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dorky
Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025
The dorky, ScreenLife-adjacent technology introduced into the movie (which also includes oversized and dramatically embossed text messages emblazoned across the screen that evoke more sophisticated Word Art) is a little narratively clunky and contrived.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
While those early performances cemented his status as the typical dorky average-Joe teen, Hall evolved into a versatile actor who has played heroes, villains, and everything in between.
—Alison Weinflash, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2025
Admittedly, their dorky little fist bump is kind of cute.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dorky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dorky
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
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
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Jess: The curds themselves are crispy, but the toast is stupid.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
22 Aug. 2025
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The dialogue wasn’t dumbed down and stupid comic book stuff.—
William Earl,
Variety,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Joseph can also play the right side, and his presence gives the Canucks flexibility to take it slow with the likes of Tom Willander and Victor Mancini at camp.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
-
New York lawmakers are proposing rules to humanely drive down the population of rats and other rodents, eyeing contraception and a ban on glue traps as alternatives to poison or a slow, brutal death.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For Zander, who has spent three decades championing play as a form of healing, the solution lies in something deceptively simple: rediscovering the human joy of play.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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Fun’s model is simple in theory but ambitious in practice: turn crypto trading volume into a permanent funding stream.—
Jemma Green,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The sturdy handle and thicker walls echo the utility these beers were brewed for—robust, satisfying, and meant to be lingered over.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
-
One is a Dutch oven, a heavy pot with thick walls and a tight-fitting lid, typically cast iron and traditionally used for stews, soups and bread.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dorky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dorky. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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