English Reference
Word adjective

idiotic

adj.
US /ˌɪdiˈɑtɪk/ UK /ˌɪdɪˈɒtɪk/ id·i·ot·ic
Definition
  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    extremely stupid or showing a complete lack of good sense.

    manifesting or characterised by extreme stupidity or foolishness. Often used to describe specific actions or decisions rather than innate intelligence.

    Simple

    “It was an idiotic mistake to leave the car windows open during the storm.”

    In context

    “The board's decision to ignore the market warnings was described by analysts as idiotic, given the clear evidence of an impending crash.”

    Usage

    Usually sits before the noun it describes or follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'idiot' was once a medical term, 'idiotic' is now purely an insult. It is stronger and more critical than 'silly' or 'unwise'.

    Synonyms
    stupidfoolishbrainlessabsurd
    Antonyms
    sensiblewiseintelligent
Etymology

From idiot + -ic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated