as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
you're not unintelligent, so you must just be stubbornly resisting all attempts to teach you something
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unintelligent
And not because people are unintelligent — quite the opposite.
—
Jj Rosen, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Nov. 2025
The life of an unattractive and unintelligent young woman living in a dreary backwater in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The 32-year-old says she’s always been naturally curious, but as a child, school often left her feeling anxious and unintelligent.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent.
—Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Jj Rosen, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Nov. 2025
The life of an unattractive and unintelligent young woman living in a dreary backwater in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
The 32-year-old says she’s always been naturally curious, but as a child, school often left her feeling anxious and unintelligent.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent.
—Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligent
Adjective
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For a few hours, there's no doom and gloom on the news, no family drama, no Slack notifications, no people fighting about dumb stuff on social media.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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That there are actually people trying to turn this guy – the name is Brendan Sorsby — into some kind of victim is just as dumb as that injunction.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Fans wear their favorite players’ name, beg for their autograph and spend stupid amounts of money just to be in their proximity.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Not every bee was successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s such a thing as a stupid bumblebee, Loukola says.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
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Eating a donut earlier in the day is easier on your body than eating it at night when insulin sensitivity and metabolism slow.—
Brandi Jones,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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My wife goes into the kitchen and returns with beer, fruit, and a few simple dishes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The measure needs a simple majority to win.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Their earliest performances could be fun and irreverent, too, but Boy George says they were also marred by ignorant, homophobic heckling.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
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And using both words does not reveal that a person is ignorant but rather cosmopolitan.—
Kirk Bowman,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Whisk it in until the dressing is rich, thick, and emulsified, which takes less than a minute.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
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With adjustable straps, a thick elastic band, empire waist, and a ruffle trim, this Grace Karin maxi will become the most versatile dress in your closet.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unintelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintelligent. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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