stupid

[ stoo-pid, styoo‑ ]

adjective

, stu·pid·er, stu·pid·est.

1. lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; slow-witted.
2. characterized by or proceeding from mental dullness; foolish; senseless:

   Sorry for asking a stupid question, but why is the answer four instead of five?

3. tediously boring, especially due to lack of meaning or sense; inane; pointless:

   He wished he'd never come to such a stupid party.

4. annoying or irritating; troublesome:

   Turn off that stupid radio.

5. in a state of stupor; stupefied:

   After a twelve-hour work day, she was stupid from fatigue.

6. Slang. excellent; terrific.

noun

1. Informal. a stupid person.

stupid

/ ˈstjuːpɪd /

adjective

1. lacking in common sense, perception, or normal intelligence
2. usually postpositive stunned, dazed, or stupefied

   stupid from lack of sleep

3. having dull mental responses; slow-witted
4. trivial, silly, or frivolous

noun

1. informal.
   a stupid person

Confusables Note

Stupid, ignorant, and unintelligent are all used to refer to people or things that seem to show a lack of mental resources. Stupid is the most general and most insulting term, and can describe someone lacking in intelligence, wisdom, prudence, or mental quickness. Unintelligent refers to people or things that are lacking in capacity for learning, reasoning, or understanding. Ignorant, by contrast, generally means lacking in knowledge (not necessarily lacking in intelligence).

Derived Forms

• ˈstupidness, noun
• ˈstupidly, adverb

Other Words From

• stu·pid·ly adverb
• stu·pid·ness noun
• un·stu·pid adjective
• un·stu·pid·ly adverb
• un·stu·pid·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stupid¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin stupidus, equivalent to stup(ēre) “to be numb, to be stunned” + -idus -id ⁴( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of stupid¹

C16: from French stupide, from Latin stupidus silly, from stupēre to be amazed

Synonym Study

See dull.

Example Sentences

Later, his turn as a lothario in the box office hit Crazy Stupid Love made him even more swoon-worthy.

From The Daily Beast

Contrary to What Stupid Republicans Think… A completely different U.S. foreign policy may not be the answer.

From The Daily Beast

As expected, initial reports were met with cries of “Stupid!”

From The Daily Beast

On Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who said Republicans are acting like the Stupid Party?

From The Daily Beast

They did not pander to social-conservative populists, and no one would accuse them of representing the Party of Stupid.

From The Daily Beast

Stupid things puns—made one myself then, though—just like me.

From Project Gutenberg

Stupid you were when you stole things out of my book—could you not guess that I might have read my own books?

From Project Gutenberg

Stupid you were when you thought yourself cleverer than me, and when you thought that I could be lured into becoming a thief.

From Project Gutenberg

Stupid you were when you thought balance could be restored by giving the world two thieves instead of one.

From Project Gutenberg

Stupid Polish Majesty has his natural envies, jealousies, of a Brandenburg waxing over his head at this rate.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dull
• dumb
• foolish
• futile
• ill-advised
• irrelevant
• laughable
• ludicrous
• naive
• senseless
• shortsighted
• simple
• trivial