1
as in lunatic
a person who lacks good sense or judgment
his silly antics at office parties have earned him a reputation as a simpleton
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in idiot
a stupid person
she felt like such a simpleton for needing help to install her home theater
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of simpleton
Redmayne plays a creep; Henry, a yearner; Keoghan, a simpleton.
—
Glenn Whippcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2023
Keoghan’s village simpleton, who becomes a poor substitute friend for Farrell’s character, is both delightfully weird and gradually gutting as the traumas of his upbringing become clearer.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Dec. 2022
Turning what could have been merely a simpleton into a lost soul, Keoghan’s work here is vivid and heartbreaking.
—Glenn Whippentertainment Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2022
Savvy and simpleton investors alike could easily pick apart Snap’s latest quarterly data.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for simpleton
Glenn Whippcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2023
Keoghan’s village simpleton, who becomes a poor substitute friend for Farrell’s character, is both delightfully weird and gradually gutting as the traumas of his upbringing become clearer.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Dec. 2022
Turning what could have been merely a simpleton into a lost soul, Keoghan’s work here is vivid and heartbreaking.
—Glenn Whippentertainment Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2022
Savvy and simpleton investors alike could easily pick apart Snap’s latest quarterly data.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for simpleton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for simpleton
Noun
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These could be people that play Devil’s advocate or, like Shakespeare’s fools, challenge ideas and thinking.—
George Bradt,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Flecks of mica and pyrite and who knows what, but only fools and greenhorns mistake it for gold.—
John Archibald,
Southern Living,
25 May 2025
Noun
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Sometimes too stupid is actually smartski but sometimes is just stupid stupid.—
Caroline Downey,
National Review,
27 Mar. 2025
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An underrated gem — not enough people have seen this top-tier season — Squirrels Trip has some fabulous vocals, very funny lyrics, a heavy dose of stupid, and an engaging story.—
Barry Levitt,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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And here a duck has made her nest Six brown eggs in a bed of twigs, More artful than any window display, More precious than a golden egg Laid by a golden goose.—
contributing Monitor poets,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Simpleton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/simpleton. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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