Apr 19, 2013 · stupid, dull, dense, crass, dumb mean lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions. stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.

Don’t say anything – just act / play dumb (= pretend to be stupid or not to know something).

Mar 30, 2026 · Adjective dumb (comparative dumber, superlative dumbest) (dated) Unable to speak; lacking power of speech. Synonyms: mute, speechless, wordless deaf, dumb, and blind (set phrase) …

Definition of dumb adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dumb is the Old English word that means "mute, speechless," and itself came from an even older word dheubh meaning "confusion, stupefaction, dizziness." Today, dumb still means "unable to speak," …

Dumb, mute, speechless, voiceless describe a condition in which speech is absent. Dumb was formerly used to refer to persons unable to speak; it is now used almost entirely of the inability of animals to …

If someone is dumb on a particular occasion, they cannot speak because they are angry, shocked, or surprised.

dumb (dʌm) adj. -er, -est, v. usage: dumb in the sense “lacking the power of speech” is offensive when applied to humans (but not animals), probably because the word also means “stupid; dull-witted.”

DUMB definition: lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted. See examples of dumb used in a sentence.

Learn the definition of 'dumb'. Check out the pronunciation, synonyms and grammar. Browse the use examples 'dumb' in the great English corpus.