Definition of unintelligentnext
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily you're not unintelligent, so you must just be stubbornly resisting all attempts to teach you something

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unintelligent And not because people are unintelligent — quite the opposite. Jj Rosen, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Nov. 2025 The life of an unattractive and unintelligent young woman living in a dreary backwater in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 The 32-year-old says she’s always been naturally curious, but as a child, school often left her feeling anxious and unintelligent. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025 Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for unintelligent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unintelligent
Adjective
  • Not all blondes are dumb, don’t judge a book by its cover, yada yada yada, lo and behold, Reese Witherspoon is a certified movie star.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 June 2026
  • Though Cady has made some gestures toward helping the Bowdens, like his behind-the-scenes effort to get one of Anna’s death-row clients exonerated last week, Tom and Anna should not be so dumb as to ignore his ulterior motives.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • But even the most perfect Constitution can be undone by the wicked with the help of the bought, the stupid, and the cowardly.
    Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • White can believe Hokit said something stupid and still believe fighters should be allowed to speak for themselves.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • What to expect over the weekend Though Friday was expected to be the slowest day of the competition, the atmosphere at Cal Expo was anything but dull.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026
  • Some residents are calling for civilian volunteers to help clear debris, frustrated by the slow pace of the rescue operations.
    Osmary Hernández, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
    Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Let’s hope that George Santayana’s warning to those ignorant of history about the past repeating itself makes an exception for our present Defense Department.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026
  • And then there are amateur collectors like me, who might not know ironstone from porcelain, but whose last day on earth could be spent touching old objects in ignorant bliss.
    Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • The combination makes strands thicker, fuller, stronger, frizz-free, and softer—and thus, longer with less shedding and breakage.
    Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • The brown, round cookie has arms and legs, one eyebrow thicker than the other, and one buck tooth.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unintelligent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unintelligent. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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