Ignorance & Foolishness Vocabulary

annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand

“How can you be so obtuse about her feelings?”

Origin: Latin obtusus `blunted, dull` from ob- `against` + tundere `to beat`

showing lack of experience or judgment

“It was naive to trust him so quickly.”

Origin: French naïf/naïve from Latin nativus `native, natural, innate`

easily persuaded to believe something

“The gullible investor fell for the scam.”

Origin: From gull `to deceive` possibly from Middle English gull `unfledged bird, simpleton`

having too great a readiness to believe things

“Only the most credulous would accept that story.”

Origin: Latin credulus `believing easily` from credere `to believe, trust`

innocent and unsuspecting; naive

“Her ingenuous trust in strangers worried her parents.”

Origin: Latin ingenuus `native, freeborn, noble` from in- `in` + gignere `to beget`

not aware of the full facts; unintentional

“He was an unwitting accomplice to the crime.”

Origin: Old English unwittende from un- `not` + witan `to know`

not aware of or concerned about what is happening

“She was oblivious to the chaos around her.”

Origin: Latin obliviosus `forgetful` from oblivion- `forgetfulness` from oblivisci `to forget`

lacking knowledge or awareness in general

“He remained ignorant of the consequences.”

Origin: Latin ignorant- `not knowing` from in- `not` + gnarus `knowing`

in a state of intellectual or moral ignorance

“The benighted policies set the country back decades.”

Origin: From be- `thoroughly` + night, meaning `overtaken by darkness`

silly and pointless

“His fatuous comments contributed nothing to the discussion.”

Origin: Latin fatuus `foolish, insipid` of unknown origin

having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence

“The vacuous celebrity offered no insight.”

Origin: Latin vacuus `empty, void` from vacare `to be empty`

extremely stupid or foolish

“The asinine decision baffled everyone.”

Origin: Latin asinus `ass, donkey` from Greek onos `ass`

lacking sense or meaning; silly

“The inane chatter drove him from the room.”

Origin: Latin inanis `empty, void, worthless` of uncertain origin

offering nothing stimulating or challenging

“The vapid conversation bored her quickly.”

Origin: Latin vapidus `flat, insipid` from vapere `to emit vapor`

silly; stupid

“It would be daft to refuse such an offer.”

Origin: Middle English dafte `meek, mild` from Old English gedæfte `gentle, becoming`

lacking intelligence or good sense

“His witless remarks embarrassed his colleagues.”

Origin: Old English witlēas from wit `intelligence` + -less `without`

a foolish or gullible person

“Only a simpleton would believe that explanation.”

Origin: From simple + -ton (augmentative suffix), meaning `very simple person`

a stupid person

“He felt like a dolt for missing the obvious answer.”

Origin: Probably from obsolete dold `stupid` related to Old English dol `foolish`

a person who is slow at learning

“The teacher unfairly labeled him a dunce.”

Origin: Named after John Duns Scotus, 13th-century scholar whose followers resisted Renaissance ideas

lack of good sense; foolishness

“Ignoring the warnings proved to be sheer folly.”

Origin: Old French folie `madness, foolishness` from fol `fool` from Latin follis `bellows, windbag`

an ignorant or stupid person

“He felt like an ignoramus when he couldn't answer the simple question.”

Origin: Latin ignoramus `we do not know` from ignorare `not to know, to be unacquainted with`

a person opposed to new technology or ways of working

“The luddite refused to use a computer.”

Origin: Named after Ned Ludd, possibly mythical leader of 1811-1816 English textile workers who destroyed machinery