as in to simplify
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Recent Examples of dumb down
The president-elect tends to avoid details—during his first term, aides learned to dumb down their presentations with bullet points.
—
Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Where there other ideas about how to dumb down Sage?
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 20 June 2024
Whoever has decided to dumb down America has done a really good job.
—Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Business Column: Red-state efforts to dumb down their universities will provoke a brain drain
May 2, 2023
GOP legislators in Wisconsin held hostage $800 million in funding for the state university and blocked all staff pay raises unless the university cut back DEI programs.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024
But Jason didn’t dumb down any of his writing.
—New York Times, 15 Aug. 2022
His knack for skewering Broadway’s smash hits and for commenting on its craven tendencies to dumb down for and rip off its customers is unparalleled.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022
Angela Merkel, chancellor when the pandemic started, holds a doctorate in quantum chemistry and refused to dumb down science while addressing the public.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2022
Yet the Biden Administration is mounting a regulatory assault on business, while progressives dumb down math and science with a woke curriculum.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 2 Feb. 2022
Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Where there other ideas about how to dumb down Sage?
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 20 June 2024
Whoever has decided to dumb down America has done a really good job.
—Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Business Column: Red-state efforts to dumb down their universities will provoke a brain drain
May 2, 2023
GOP legislators in Wisconsin held hostage $800 million in funding for the state university and blocked all staff pay raises unless the university cut back DEI programs.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2024
But Jason didn’t dumb down any of his writing.
—New York Times, 15 Aug. 2022
His knack for skewering Broadway’s smash hits and for commenting on its craven tendencies to dumb down for and rip off its customers is unparalleled.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022
Angela Merkel, chancellor when the pandemic started, holds a doctorate in quantum chemistry and refused to dumb down science while addressing the public.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2022
Yet the Biden Administration is mounting a regulatory assault on business, while progressives dumb down math and science with a woke curriculum.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 2 Feb. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumb down
Verb
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Moynihan also said simplifying U.S. bank regulations would be a good idea, echoing comments from other industry executives.—
Saeed Azhar,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
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Hub motors do a lot to simplify an EV powertrain, as there's no need for any driveshaft or gearing.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Other than oversimplifying the similarities or even comparing it to previous experiences, the food now is a paradox.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Many materials for ELLs can be oversimplified and unrelated to grade-level goals, especially in middle and high school classrooms.—
Ethan Stone,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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List of Drinks Starbucks Will Remove Read more Starbucks Crisis Comms Require a 'Delicate Balance,' Says Advocate Health SVP Starbucks is phasing out several drinks from its menu as part of its streamlining efforts.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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Automation streamlines data generation and entity identification.—
Sandeep Shilawat,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dumb down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumb%20down. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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