stupid

STOO-pid/ˈst(j)u.pɪd/SaySTYOO-pidUK/ˈstjuː.pɪd/AUS/ˈʃt͡ʃjʉː.pɪd/

Noun pluralstupids

10 meanings of stupid

1
not smartadjective
Lacking intelligence; slow to understand or learn.
The villain is written as stupid enough to fall for every trick.
He is not stupid, just inexperienced.
UsageBoth stupider and more stupid are correct, as are stupidest and most stupid.
Similarunintelligent, dumb, dim, dense, slow
Oppositeintelligent, smart, clever, bright
Note
Living beings are the target here: a person, an animal, even a big jellyfish caught in a net. When the judgment falls on an act rather than on whoever did it, the word has moved to the "foolish act" meaning.
2
badly judgedadjective
Showing the lack of intelligence or good sense of whoever did it.
Skipping the safety check turned out to be a stupid decision.
He apologized for the stupid joke that hurt his friend.
UsageOften it was stupid of someone to do something.
Similarfoolish, silly, idiotic, senseless, dumb
Oppositewise, sensible, smart, prudent
3
annoyingadjective
Unpleasant or annoying in the speaker's view; an expression of irritation rather than a judgment of intelligence.
The stupid printer jammed for the third time today.
Why won't this stupid door just open?
UsageUsually goes directly before the noun: this stupid printer.
Similarannoying, wretched, blasted, darn, pesky
4
nouncountable or uncountable
A foolish or unintelligent person.
"Quit it, stupid, you're going to knock the whole tower over," his older brother said.
Watch where you're going, stupid, you nearly knocked me over.
UsageMostly used to address someone rudely: Quit it, stupid.
Similaridiot, fool, dummy, moron, dimwit
Oppositegenius, brain
Note
The adjective becomes a name-calling noun and behaves like one. Saki's story "The Strategist" has "You stupid!", and Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" (1972) uses it, with an article, for an unnamed fool with a flare gun.

Less common meanings

5
extremelyadverbslang
Extremely; to a very high degree.
The concert tickets were stupid expensive this year.
It's stupid hot outside today.
UsageGoes right before an adjective, with no -ly: stupid expensive, stupid hot.
Similarextremely, ridiculously, insanely, crazy, super
Oppositeslightly, mildly, barely
Note
Lady Gaga's "Jewels N' Drugs" (2013) uses it in a lyric about a family, where it sits right before an adjective describing their looks and simply turns the praise up, with no hint of foolishness left in it.
6
awesome (slang)adjectiveslang
Extremely impressive; amazing.
Her guitar solo was stupid, and the whole crowd went wild.
The guitarist's solo at the end of the show was stupid; the whole crowd was screaming for more.
Similaramazing, insane, sick, incredible, unreal
Oppositelame, terrible, awful, mediocre
Note
Slang that turns the word upside down: a dunk called stupid is being praised, not mocked. Only an approving context separates praise from insult, so it is usually delivered with emphasis, often with an exclamation. Fittingly, the Latin ancestor meant "amazed" as well as "struck senseless," a story told under the stupor sense.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
The Latin ancestor of "stupid" meant both "amazed" and "struck senseless." en.wiktionary.org
7
foolishnessnouncolloquialuncountable
The condition or quality of being foolish or unintelligent.
The comment section was full of pure stupid.
He answered with a level of stupid that left everyone speechless.
UsageOften used after of or an adjective: a level of stupid, pure stupid.
Similaridiocy, foolishness, inanity, nonsense, dumbness
Oppositeintelligence, wisdom, sense, brilliance
8
adjective
Dazed or dulled, unable to think or feel clearly, as from sleep, drink, boredom or a blow.
The endless paperwork bored her stupid by noon.
They worried themselves stupid waiting for news.
UsageUsually after a verb, naming the result: bored her stupid, worried themselves stupid.
Similarsenseless, silly, witless, dazed, numb
Note
The stupor branch of the word stays closest to its Latin root. Stupidus meant "struck senseless, amazed," from stupeō, "to be struck senseless." It says where the action leaves someone, not what they are by nature.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
The stupor sense closely reflects the meaning of the Latin root. en.wiktionary.org
Latin stupidus meant "struck senseless, amazed." en.wiktionary.org
Stupidus derives from stupeō, meaning "to be struck senseless." en.wiktionary.org
9
adjectivearchaic
Lacking sensation or consciousness; insensate and lifeless.
Were it not for [fire], the whole wou'd be one great stupid inanimate mass.
1744, George Berkeley, Siris
Note
Matter itself is the subject here: something without feeling or awareness. George Berkeley's Siris (1744) imagines the world without fire as "one great stupid inanimate mass," setting dead stuff against what lives and senses.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
The sense denotes something without sensation or consciousness and is archaic. en.wiktionary.org
George Berkeley wrote Siris, first published in 1744. commons.wikimedia.org
Siris §190 describes the world without fire using the exact phrase quoted, contrasting lifeless matter with an animating element. archive.org
10
adjectiveslang
Of an amount, typically of money or time, so large as to be ridiculous, well past anything reasonable.
Tech companies are throwing stupid money at anyone who can build these systems.
I've sunk a stupid number of hours into this video game.
UsageGoes before words for quantity: stupid money, a stupid number of hours.
Similarridiculous, crazy, insane, obscene, silly
Note
Casual speech uses it as a yardstick rather than an insult: nobody is being called foolish, as they would be under the "unintelligent" meaning.

Practice

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Origin

From Middle French stupide, from Latin stupidus ("struck senseless, amazed"), from the verb stupeō ("to be amazed or struck senseless"). This traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to push" or "hit," and is perhaps related to Old English stoppian ("to block, stop").

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

English stupid comes from Middle French stupide, from Latin stupidus, meaning struck senseless or amazed. en.wiktionary.org
Latin stupidus derives from stupeō, meaning to be amazed or struck senseless. en.wiktionary.org
The word ultimately derives from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning to push or hit. en.wiktionary.org
Old English stoppian meant to block or stop. en.wiktionary.org