as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
the show's amateur sleuth always has to explain to the dim-witted police chief who really committed the murder
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Recent Examples of dim-witted
During The Beverly Hillbillies’ nine-season run, Baer Jr. starred as dim-witted Clampett cousin Jethro Bodine as well as making several appearances in drag as his character’s twin sister, Jethrine.
—
John Russell, People.com, 11 May 2025
But fans clearly missed seeing the endearing — if dim-witted — Joey alongside his pals Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Ross (David Schwimmer), because viewership steadily declined as the series progressed.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
His longest-running series role was as Con Stapleton, a dim-witted card dealer who briefly becomes sheriff, in the 2004 HBO Western Deadwood.
—Gabriela Silva, TVLine, 21 Feb. 2025
Comedian Al Campbell played a dim-witted commentator with the ludicrous name Barry Shitpeas.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Admittedly, laying off development staff to pay investors that fund publishing is a bit like cutting off your legs while trying to escape from a rampaging lion, but most of the people in publishing management are rather dim-witted.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Written and produced by John Hughes, the irreverent and indelible holiday staple follows an 8-year-old who must defend his family’s sprawling Chicago home from two dim-witted robbers after his family members accidentally abandon him while en route to their Christmas vacation in Paris.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2024
This further bolsters the evidence that Neanderthals were not dim-witted as assumed.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Nov. 2024
But fans clearly missed seeing the endearing — if dim-witted — Joey alongside his pals Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Ross (David Schwimmer), because viewership steadily declined as the series progressed.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
John Russell, People.com, 11 May 2025
But fans clearly missed seeing the endearing — if dim-witted — Joey alongside his pals Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Ross (David Schwimmer), because viewership steadily declined as the series progressed.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
His longest-running series role was as Con Stapleton, a dim-witted card dealer who briefly becomes sheriff, in the 2004 HBO Western Deadwood.
—Gabriela Silva, TVLine, 21 Feb. 2025
Comedian Al Campbell played a dim-witted commentator with the ludicrous name Barry Shitpeas.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Admittedly, laying off development staff to pay investors that fund publishing is a bit like cutting off your legs while trying to escape from a rampaging lion, but most of the people in publishing management are rather dim-witted.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Written and produced by John Hughes, the irreverent and indelible holiday staple follows an 8-year-old who must defend his family’s sprawling Chicago home from two dim-witted robbers after his family members accidentally abandon him while en route to their Christmas vacation in Paris.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2024
This further bolsters the evidence that Neanderthals were not dim-witted as assumed.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Nov. 2024
But fans clearly missed seeing the endearing — if dim-witted — Joey alongside his pals Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Ross (David Schwimmer), because viewership steadily declined as the series progressed.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim-witted
Adjective
-
Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
-
This is just stupid how successful this is, but that’s really underselling it.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
-
Camp, stupid, joyful—to both own and access—Labubu has taken over.—
Lara Johnson-Wheeler,
Vogue,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the retirement of highly successful Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, the transition to Vulcan has been slow and continues to impact the completion of Space Force mission objectives.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2025
-
Here in Croatia, the pace of life is slower, especially in smaller towns.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Trevon Williams, who did not escape from the New Orleans jail, was charged with 10 counts of being a principal to simple escape, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on May 23.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
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Related Stories 13 Under-The-Radar Activities And Experiences In Key West The 11 Best Key West Restaurants On The Water Rooms And Rates The rooms are bright, cheerful, and simple, with colorful coastal touches in artwork and decorative items like pillows.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Its thick plastic outer casing is impervious to flex.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
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Conversely, smog, cloud cover, and thicker ozone layers limit the amount of UV radiation that reaches the skin.6 Locations further from the equator at higher altitudes experience less sunlight in the winter and more in the summer.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Trump has no knowledge of military history and has surrounded himself with advisers equally ignorant.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2025
-
Anger materializes in people who are toxic and ignorant.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dim-witted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim-witted. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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