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stupid

B1
adjectivenoun

Pronunciation

UK

  • /stjˈuːpɪd/

US

  • /ˈstupəd/
  • /ˈstupɪd/

Description

Calling someone "stupid" is not kind, but it usually means they have done something foolish or shown poor judgment. It can suggest a lack of intelligence, but people also use it when they are annoyed or upset, not only as a serious opinion. In a story, for example, you might say a character did something "stupid" if they ignored clear warnings and made a bad choice.

Context matters a lot. A "stupid question" does not always mean the person is unintelligent. It often means the question seems very obvious or easy to answer. In the same way, someone might call a plan "stupid" because it seems risky, careless, or likely to fail. The word is strongly negative and can hurt people, so it should be used carefully.

Examples

  1. 1

    Everyday mistake

    That was a stupid mistake.

  2. 2

    Embarrassment

    I felt stupid when I realized I had been waiting at the wrong station.

  3. 3

    Personal regret

    It was stupid of me to leave my bag on the bus.

    • Pattern

      it was stupid of me to + verb

      I was stupid to do that

  4. 4

    Warning

    You'd be stupid to ignore a message like that.

    • Pattern

      be stupid to + verb

      be unwise enough to do that

  5. 5

    Risky action

    Don't do anything stupid just because you're angry.

    • Phrase

      do something stupid

      do something careless or dangerous

  6. 6

    Annoyance

    We were late because of this stupid traffic.

    • Usage

      stupid can show annoyance, not just talk about intelligence

  7. 7

    Insulting language

    Calling someone stupid in a meeting is usually a bad idea.

Forms and spellings

3 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • stupidadjectivenoun

Forms

  • stupidestsuperlativeadjectivenoun
  • stupidercomparativeadjectivenoun