sophomoric

Sometimes soph·o·mor·i·cal

[sof-uh-mawr-ik, -mor-]

adjective

1. of or relating to a sophomore or sophomores.

2. suggestive of or resembling the traditional sophomore; intellectually pretentious, overconfident, conceited, etc., but immature.

   sophomoric questions.

   Synonyms: juvenile, adolescent, childish

Other Word Forms

• sophomorically adverb
• unsophomoric adjective
• unsophomorical adjective
• unsophomorically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sophomoric¹

An Americanism dating back to 1805–15; sophomore + -ic

Example Sentences

William H. Herndon, Lincoln’s future law partner and biographer, said “it was highly sophomoric in character and abounded in striking and lofty metaphor . . . the thing people expect from a young man.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The show’s jokes are rude and cleverly sophomoric.

Read more on Salon

While the memes were “mean-spirited, sophomoric, inartful, misguided, and crude,” the state Supreme Court justices wrote in their opinion, they were “plainly not intended to threaten Student One, Student Two, or any other person.”

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If that sounds sophomoric, it’s only because it is.

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The hardscrabble lifestyle has made Ginny wise beyond her years, though she’s not immune to mercurial teen mood swings and the sophomoric drama of high school.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• foolish