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Synonyms

idiot

American  
[id-ee-uht] / ˈɪd i ət /

noun

  1. Informal. an utterly foolish or senseless person.

    If you think you can wear that outfit to a job interview and get hired, you're an idiot!

    Synonyms:
    numbskull, dunce, dolt, imbecile, half-wit, fool
  2. Psychology. (no longer in technical use; considered offensive) a person of the lowest order in a former and discarded classification of intellectual disability, having a mental age of less than three years old and an intelligence quotient under 25.


idiot British  
/ ˈɪdɪət /

noun

  1. a person with severe mental retardation

  2. a foolish or senseless person

"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

  • idiotic adjective

Etymology

Origin of idiot

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin idiōta, from Greek idiṓtēs “private person, layman, person lacking skill or expertise,” equivalent to idiō- (lengthened variant of idio- idio-, perhaps by analogy with stratiōtēs “professional soldier,” derivative of stratiá “army”) + -tēs agent noun suffix

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.

On the related but perhaps irrelevant question of individual character, the evidence is clear: Wilhelm II was an unstable and vainglorious idiot who wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Turnbull -- who has described Taylor as the "best-qualified idiot" around -- warned the party faced disaster if it continued down that path.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Instead, it’s an unforced error; if you forgot about this mostly forgotten affair, well, he’s here to remind you that he was an idiot in one specific way at least once.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

“I’ve changed a lot as a filmmaker, but I’m still the same idiot I’ve always been. That’s the bad news,” Iñárritu says laughing.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

He rolls his eyes dramatically, sending his idiot goons into hysterics.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh