retarded
Americanverb
adjective
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Older Use: Usually Offensive. characterized by a slowness or limitation in intellectual understanding and awareness, emotional development, academic progress, etc.
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Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. stupid or foolish.
noun
adjective
Sensitive Note
In reference to low intellectual ability, the terms retarded, retardation, and mental retardation are now usually perceived as insulting and have largely been replaced by other terms. There are several acceptable alternatives. In general, someone with a mental, physical, or emotional disability may be described as developmentally disabled, or as a person with a developmental disability. If it is specifically a mental disability, the person may be described as cognitively impaired or intellectually disabled. Such a person may be referred to as an individual with a cognitive impairment or a person with an intellectual disability. The slang term retard is a term of abuse used especially by children, though much less commonly than in the past. In both of its meanings, retard is perceived as insulting to disabled people. See also cripple.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of retarded
Explanation
Retarded is a word to describe someone who is mentally slow. This is a medical word that spread to slang, and is today considered very insulting and inappropriate. Some uses of retarded are harmless, like if you said wearing a backpack retarded or slowed down your progress on a hike. However, if you use retarded to mean stupid, you're on dangerous ground. Out of respect for people who have clinical mental retardation, this is considered an offensive term to throw around.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1974, using the preferred language of the era, Richard and Jean Koch cowrote the book “Understanding the Mentally Retarded Child: A New Approach,” published by Random House.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2023
In 1985, the Thornburghs were named "Family of the Year" by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens.
From Fox News • Jan. 1, 2021
In 1985, the Thornburghs were named “Family of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens.
From Washington Times • Dec. 31, 2020
They didn’t have a child with developmental disabilities, yet they were involved for more than 50 years with the Association for the Help of Retarded Children.
From New York Times • Sep. 9, 2016
Fast roll'd the tears indignant down his cheeks, For he beheld the mares with double speed,485 Flying, and of the spur deprived, his own 569 Retarded steeds continual thrown behind.
From The Iliad of Homer Translated into English Blank Verse by William Cowper by Cowper, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
