Meaning & use
dolts
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“dolts” is a form of “dolt”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountabledisapproving
Stupid or slow-thinking people; a plural of dolt.
Grammar: Use as a plural noun; the singular is dolt. It is a countable noun, so you can say a dolt or two dolts.
Patterns
- a dolt
- the dolts
- such a dolt
He called his opponents dolts for not seeing the obvious problem.
The dolts in the office forgot to send the invitations again.
She felt like a dolt when she realized her mistake.
Word forms
| singular | dolt |
|---|
Common combinations
- a complete dolt
- He felt like a complete dolt after mixing up the dates.
- act like a dolt
- Stop acting like a dolt and read the instructions.
- call someone a dolt
- She called him a dolt for forgetting her birthday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fool
- Fool is a more general word for someone who acts unwisely; dolt emphasizes slowness or stupidity more strongly.
- idiot
- Idiot is a stronger insult than dolt and is often considered offensive; dolt is milder but still disapproving.
- blockhead
- Blockhead is an old-fashioned, slightly humorous word for a stupid person; dolt is similar but less common today.
Opposites
Word family
- doltish adjective
- Stupid or foolish in a slow-witted way.
- doltishly adverb
- In a stupid or slow-witted manner.
Commonly confused: dolts or dolt?
dolts vs dolt
Dolt is the singular form; dolts is the plural. Make sure the verb agrees: a dolt is, but dolts are.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'dolts' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Dolts is a plural noun, so it agrees with they are. Option A uses the singular article a with a plural, option C uses dolts as a verb (it is not), and option D has a plural noun with a singular verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dolts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.