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Definitions

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

The story struck the FBI as asinine — agents just did not act that way — but could it be disproved?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 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

It was, as stated recently by Gov. Jay Inslee, “the most asinine thing I’ve ever seen in Washington state political history.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2024

I pick up the pace so that there’s no more breath for Katherine’s asinine inquiries.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Vocabulary lists containing asinine

A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives

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Grade 11, List 6

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Dear Martin

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