as in insanity
a foolish act or idea
trying to get that many people to agree on anything was pure idiocy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of idiocy
The idiocy of these people knows no bounds.
—
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a heartwarming idiocy to their pursuit, yet what festers underneath is their inability to process grief consciously and the fear that those who deem their existence meaningless might be right.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Gunther and Tig are two billionaire failsons who have wasted countless opportunities and cash chasing the stupidest ideas and who get rewarded over and over again for their idiocy.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.
—Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 11 Feb. 2026
Harry and Finis refused to play Jack Donahoe’s game of commenting on every idiocy that came across their desks.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Aster keenly satirizes Joe’s idiocy in the face of social upheaval through the iconography of Westerns.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
But my naivete and idiocy about what this was going to take was staggering to me just six months later.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiocy
Noun
-
The assassination attempt failed — and Hinckley was arrested, tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
His acquittal, which led to a public outcry, had an impact on the federal insanity defense — leading to a shift in the burden of proof.—
Katrina Kaufman,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And that’s the absurdity of this whole thing.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s the kind of hands-on absurdity that makes a road trip memorable.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That men like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are entrusted with businesses of tectonic influence can be difficult to understand, but their cults of personality have been able to survive scrutiny, perhaps because the money itself is too imposing a firewall for their own stupidity to penetrate.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Eric Swalwell, a prominent Democratic House member and a front-runner in the race for California governor, had his political career blown up by allegations of degeneracy and abject stupidity.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idiocy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiocy. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
