asinine

[as-uh-nahyn] / ˈæs əˌnaɪn /

ADJECTIVE

senseless

Synonyms

WEAK

absurd cretinous daft foolish half-witted idiotic inane moronic silly sophomoric stupid

Usage

What are other ways to say asinine? The adjective asinine originally meant like an ass; it applies to witlessly stupid conversations or conduct and suggests a lack of social grace or perception: He failed to notice the reaction to his asinine remarks. Foolish implies a lack of common sense or good judgment or, sometimes, a weakness of mind: a foolish decision; The child seems foolish. Fatuous implies being not only foolish, dull, and vacant in mind, but complacent and highly self-satisfied as well: fatuous and self-important; fatuous answers. Silly denotes extreme and conspicuous foolishness; it may also refer to pointlessness of jokes, remarks, etc.: silly and senseless behavior; a perfectly silly statement. Inane applies to silliness that is notably lacking in content, sense, or point: inane questions that leave one with no reply. Stupid implies natural slowness or dullness of intellect, or, sometimes, a benumbed or dazed state of mind; it is also used to mean foolish or silly: He was rendered stupid by a blow; It is stupid to do such a thing.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As with much of the asinine ponderings coming from the Silicon Valley billionaire class, there’s a pseudo-intellectual rationale to prop up this nonsense.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2025

Though Tesla’s board shouted down a Wall Street Journal report this spring that it had looked into finding a successor for Musk, it would be asinine not to poke around.

From Slate • Jul. 8, 2025

I smiled politely; I found the remark asinine; I resolved to work it into conversation as soon as possible.

From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2024

Now that a jury is sitting in judgment of his conduct, that strategy will go from dubious to asinine.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2024

But the fact remained that any five-year-old girl in any family was always obliged to do as she was told, however asinine the orders might be.

From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl

asinine

Usage

Example Sentences

Vocabulary lists containing asinine

A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives

Grade 11, List 6

Dear Martin

asinine

Usage

Example Sentences

Related Words

Vocabulary lists containing asinine

A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives

Grade 11, List 6

Dear Martin