# idiot box

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/idiot-box
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Television.

## Examples

- Stop staring at the idiot box and go outside.
- My father spends every evening glued to the idiot box instead of talking to us.
- The critic argued that society had become intellectually stagnant due to the constant influence of the idiot box.

## Origin

From *idiot* + *box*, an allusion to the perceived lack of educational merit in television programming. The term appeared as a critique of the medium's supposed capacity to reduce the mental faculties of its viewers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.