half-witted

Definition of half-wittednext
1
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily the young genius mastered calculus while his peers, who seemed half-witted in comparison, labored over basic addition and subtraction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-witted
Adjective
  • California is flush with dumb money and bad judgment, and an insatiable romance with an epic 1,200-mile shoreline.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • There were so many strangers ready to weigh in on my dumb life choices!
    — Sara Vilkomerson, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But Ohtani also struck out three times Thursday — made to look foolish in a much-too-familiar way.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But pretending that their selection of Fudd was based entirely on her basketball skills is foolish.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Doing so would be a stupid move for an Oval Office wannabe, one already hobbled by the progressive persona of the Golden State.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Republican Massachusetts Senate nominee John Deaton is not stupid.
    — Jon Keller, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The feds gave the state a silly 48-hour deadline to agree to change constitutional law, dump common sense and sequester these 20,000 ballots, if they were even returned, to double-check they were cast by valid voters.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Performed by legends Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the silly song is a tongue-twister for kiddos, and the titular word, which means ‘extraordinarily good, wonderful’ even made its way into some real deal dictionaries.
    — Stephanie Ganz Published, Parents, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • On winding roads, its model-specific suspension tuning and focus on weight reduction translate into exceptional body control at speed without becoming brittle or overly rigid in slower, more technical sections.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In particular, he was asked about Netflix’s slower growth (2% year-over-year growth in user engagement during the first half in 2026).
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • This episode notably lacked any nod to Trump, though mentions of the president as a whole have been brief compared to the previous season, when the president was the show’s focal point for absurd antics.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • And Saturday’s win proved that his plan to pursue championships — something that seemed absurd amid a lost 2025 season — has a real possibility of paying off with one.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The best power pop is simple, direct, and memorable, in both words and sound.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The lack of close coordination between these simple details undermines the structure’s coherence and intent.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • First and foremost, as a homeowner myself the property taxes are insane and continue to go up.
    — Stephen Korka, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
  • That may be the name of her next album, but Venus’ insane popularity also speaks to the way Metropia is moving forward, constantly looking for the next shiny thing.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Half-witted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-witted. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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