stupid

Stupid is an adjective used to describe actions, ideas, or people judged to be lacking in intelligence, good sense, or judgment. The sense is typically evaluative and pejorative, signaling disapproval of the person’s reasoning or approach rather than a claim about overall ability. Stupid can describe actions that are ill-considered, unwise, or evidently trivial, as in “a stupid mistake” or “a stupid question.” The term is widely considered insulting when applied to people, and many style guides discourage its use in formal writing.

Etymology: The word traces to Latin stupidus, meaning “awe-struck, numb, dull,” via Old French stupide and Middle English, with the sense evolving from “stunned or senseless” to “lacking intelligence” by the 17th century. In modern English, it functions both as a strong insult and as a loose descriptor in casual speech.

Usage notes: “Stupid” is context dependent and can reflect frustration, bias, or misperception as much as objective judgment. Non-pejorative synonyms include “unwise” or “illogical” when describing reasoning, while “ignorant” refers more to lack of knowledge. The word “stupid” is not a technical term in psychology or education, where more precise descriptors are used.

Cross-cultural and register variations: The strength of the word varies by region and community; some speakers reserve it for self-deprecating or humorous use, others find it uncivil or harmful. In many multilingual contexts, equivalent terms carry similar offensiveness, though direct translations may differ in strength.