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Synonyms

dopey

American  
[doh-pee] / ˈdoʊ pi /
Or dopy

adjective

Informal.
dopier, dopiest

  1. stupid; inane.

    It was rather dopey of him to lock himself out.

  2. sluggish or befuddled from or as from the use of narcotics or alcohol.

dopey British  
/ ˈdəʊpɪ /

adjective

  1. slang silly

  2. informal half-asleep or in a state of semiconsciousness, as when under the influence of a drug

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • dopeyness noun
  • dopily adverb
  • dopiness noun

Etymology

Origin of dopey

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; dope + -y 1

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.

I assume Vrabel thinks it’s a dopey move.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

"She was used to a dopey shire and was taken aback by these foals zooming around her."

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2023

Dumb, dopey Greg tends to benefit most from this, in that he overestimates his value while others doubt or dismiss his capabilities.

From Salon • May 15, 2023

Levi boasts a dopey, roguish charm associated more with Super Bowl beer commercials than super-tights.

From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2023

The third Justice propped the dopey up against the railing that ran along the steps to the basement and stepped to one side.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

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.