dimwit

[ dim-wit ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a stupid or slow-thinking person.

   Synonyms: dumbbell, booby, numbskull, nitwit, dummy

dimwit

/ ˈdɪmˌwɪt /

noun

1. informal.
   a stupid or silly person

Derived Forms

• ˌdim-ˈwitted, adjective
• ˌdim-ˈwittedness, noun
• ˌdim-ˈwittedly, adverb

Other Words From

• dimwitted adjective
• dimwitted·ly adverb
• dimwitted·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dimwit¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; dim + wit ¹

Example Sentences

Does Baron’s naïveté mean he is on the list of cinematic dimwits who have never seen a movie with a femme fatale?

From New York Times

That might be a stretch, but DiCaprio is terrific as the gullible dimwit who falls under his uncle’s spell and helps plot the murders of his Osage wife’s family.

From Los Angeles Times

DiCaprio is excellent in “Killers of the Flower Moon” playing a dimwit who goes along with his uncle’s scheme of killing his Osage wife’s entire bloodline.

From Los Angeles Times

“And I was tired — I’m a technological dimwit. I never handled the camera. I got tired of production with this waiting around. The editing was where I felt I could be most productive and creative.”

From New York Times

More than a decade after a short revival in 2011, the beloved dimwits, created and voiced by multifaceted storyteller Mike Judge, are back — this time on streaming service Paramount+.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clodpoll