as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
trying to get that many people to agree on anything was pure idiocy
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Recent Examples of idiocy
There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiocy
Noun
-
In this world, at this time, a little insanity can go a long way.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Kennedy calls fortification ‘insanity’ That view contrasts sharply with critics — including some at the highest level of government — who regard fortification of the food supply as a form of government overreach.—
Jonel Aleccia,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All of this readily registers on Barry’s Dada-absurdity meter.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
What the Meme Revealed About Surgical Technology Beneath the absurdity, the grape videos demonstrated real capabilities.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Speaking of stupidity, Kathy, pay for the Second Ave.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idiocy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiocy. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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