idiotic
adjective
id·i·ot·ic
ˌi-dē-ˈä-tik 
variants
or less commonly idiotical
1
: showing complete lack of thought or common sense : foolish
an idiotic question
found his excuses idiotic
2
dated, now offensive; see usage paragraph below
: characterized by extreme intellectual disability
Usage of Idiotic
The terms idiot, imbecile, moron, and their derivatives, such as idiotic, were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts. These uses were broadly rejected by the close of the 20th century and are now considered offensive.
Examples of idiotic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And jingoism, idiotic, is not patriotism.
—
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
But, here, the characters suffer from the horror film syndrome of making one idiotic decision after another because that’s what the film requires to send the action in its intended direction.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Lacey Chabert—forever to be known as Gretchen Wieners from Mean Girls—commands the screen with warmth, while Dustin Milligan plays the part of a (slightly idiotic) snowman turned man to perfection.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 26 Nov. 2024
O’Malley’s characters are excitable, idiotic, often repellent, but there’s a poignancy to them, too.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for idiotic
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.
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
But, here, the characters suffer from the horror film syndrome of making one idiotic decision after another because that’s what the film requires to send the action in its intended direction.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Lacey Chabert—forever to be known as Gretchen Wieners from Mean Girls—commands the screen with warmth, while Dustin Milligan plays the part of a (slightly idiotic) snowman turned man to perfection.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 26 Nov. 2024
O’Malley’s characters are excitable, idiotic, often repellent, but there’s a poignancy to them, too.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for idiotic
Cite this Entry
“Idiotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiotic. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
idiotic
adjective
id·i·ot·ic
ˌid-ē-ˈät-ik
: showing complete lack of thought or common sense : foolish
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share