dumb

American  

[duhm] / dʌm /

adjective

• dumber,
  comparative
• dumbest
  superlative

1. lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted.

2. lacking the power of speech (offensive when applied to humans).

   a dumb animal.

3. temporarily unable to speak.

   dumb with astonishment.

4. refraining from any or much speech; silent.

5. made, done, etc., without speech.

6. lacking some usual property, characteristic, etc.

7. performed in pantomime; mimed.

8. Computers. pertaining to the inability to do processing locally.

   A dumb terminal can input, output, and display data, but cannot process it.

9. Nautical.

   1. (of a barge) without means of propulsion.

   2. (of any craft) without means of propulsion, steering, or signaling.

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verb phrase

1. dumb down to make or become less intellectual, simpler, or less sophisticated.

   to dumb down a textbook; American movies have dumbed down.

dumb British  

/ dʌm /

adjective

1. lacking the power to speak, either because of defects in the vocal organs or because of hereditary deafness

2. lacking the power of human speech

   dumb animals

3. temporarily lacking or bereft of the power to speak

   struck dumb

4. refraining from speech; uncommunicative

5. producing no sound; silent

   a dumb piano

6. made, done, or performed without speech

7. informal

   1. slow to understand; dim-witted

   2. foolish; stupid See also dumb down

8. (of a projectile or bomb) not guided to its target

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Sensitive Note

Dumb in the sense “lacking the power of speech” is perceived as insulting when describing humans (but not animals), probably because dumb also means “stupid; dull-witted.” The noun dummy in the sense “person who lacks the power of speech” is also perceived as insulting, as are the terms deaf-and-dumb, deaf-mute, and mute. The adjective hard of hearing is acceptable though not the term of choice, partly because it lacks directness. The preferred term is deaf, which makes no reference to an inability to speak or communicate; the capitalized word Deaf signals membership in this community.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dumbness
  noun
• quasi-dumb
  adjective
• dumbly
  adverb
• quasi-dumbly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• dumber
  comparative
• dumbest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of dumb

First recorded before 1000; Old English; cognate with Old Norse dumbr, Gothic dumbs, Old Saxon dumb, Old High German tump, German dumm

Explanation

Today, most of the time someone or something is described as dumb when it shows a lack of thought, like your dumb idea of wearing flip-flops in a snowstorm. Dumb is the Old English word that means "mute, speechless," and itself came from an even older word dheubh meaning "confusion, stupefaction, dizziness." Today, dumb still means "unable to speak," but it doesn't have anything to do with intelligence. Its other meaning, however, does. If you make a dumb mistake, it's something you could have avoided if you thought it through first.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dumb dumber dumbest

Some 17-year-olds are awkward, gangly teens who tend to do or say dumb things.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

It’s the making of a perfect joke: totally superfluous and uniquely dumb.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

At one school in Hampshire, "brick" or "dumb" phones are the only devices allowed, which can only be used to call or text and have very limited internet access.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Markwayne Mullin has a brilliantly dumb idea he’s workshopping.

From Slate ● May 30, 2026

Then we walked up and down the street, hollering for Howard, which was also dumb.

From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson

But then they made Woody be a little more understanding and Buzz a little, forgive the word, dumber.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

ChatGPT won’t make us dumb and dumber unless we let it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

“The future is a lot dumber than I thought it would be,” the worker said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2025

We now face a re-reckoning, much dumber and more dangerous than the first one, with no guarantee we will pass the test this time.

From Salon ● Jan. 21, 2025

And a calf is dumber than a pig.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

The dumbest phrase in military history is Adolf Hitler saying “Let’s attack Russia in the winter.”

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

NBA legend Charles Barkley branded the San Antonio Spurs "the dumbest basketball team in the history of civilisation" after the New York Knicks pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Developer and 2022 mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, who has not endorsed in the mayoral race, called the ban “probably the dumbest idea I have ever heard.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

The “Mortal Kombat” series continues to be one of the dumbest, goriest and most vulgar of all big-studio action franchises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

He put the PlayStation down and looked up at me as if I had just asked the dumbest question in the world.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

• dull
• foolish