stupid

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparableinformaldisapproving

   Showing poor judgment or little intelligence; foolish or silly in a way that causes problems.

   Grammar: Can describe a person or an action: a stupid mistake; he is stupid to trust them.

   Patterns

   • stupid to do something
   • stupid of someone to do something
   • a stupid thing to do

   It was stupid of me to leave the door unlocked.

   What a stupid mistake to make on the final page!

   Don't be stupid; you will freeze out there without a coat.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nouninformal

   Annoying or unreasonable, used about objects or situations that cause frustration.

   Grammar: Usually before a noun and not meant literally: this stupid printer.

   Patterns

   • this stupid something

   This stupid zipper has jammed again.

   I missed the bus because of a stupid traffic jam.

3. 3adjectivecomparableliterary

   Dazed and unable to think clearly, as from tiredness or shock.

   Grammar: Often appears in the phrase stupid with, as in stupid with sleep.

   Patterns

   • stupid with something

   After two nights without rest, he stared at the screen, stupid with exhaustion.

   She sat stupid with shock as the news sank in.

Word forms

Common combinations

stupid mistake

Forgetting my own password was a stupid mistake.

a stupid question

There is no such thing as a stupid question in this class.

stupid enough to

Nobody is stupid enough to believe that story.

do something stupid

Please don't do anything stupid while I'm away.

feel stupid

I felt stupid when I realized the answer was on the first page.

Synonyms and how they differ

foolish

Foolish is gentler and usually points to an unwise choice, while stupid can sound harsher about a person's ability.

unwise

Unwise is polite and formal and criticizes a decision without insulting the person.

silly

Silly suggests playful or harmless foolishness, whereas stupid often suggests real consequences.

dim

Dim is informal and mainly British, describing a person slow to understand.

Opposites

Word family

stupidity noun

Lack of intelligence or good sense.

stupidly adverb

In a foolish way.

stupefy verb

To leave someone unable to think, through shock or boredom.

stupor noun

A dazed state of semi-consciousness.

Commonly confused: stupid or stupefied?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “stupid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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