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Stupid vs Silly - What's the difference?

stupid | silly |

In archaic terms the difference between stupid and silly

is that stupid is lacking sensation; inanimate; destitute of consciousness; insensate while silly is pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.

As adjectives the difference between stupid and silly

is that stupid is lacking in intelligence or exhibiting the quality of having been done by someone lacking in intelligence while silly is pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.

As nouns the difference between stupid and silly

is that stupid is a stupid person; a fool while silly is a silly person; a fool.

As an adverb stupid

is extremely.

stupid

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Lacking in intelligence or exhibiting the quality of having been done by someone lacking in intelligence.
  • Because it's a big stupid jellyfish!
  • To the point of stupor.
  • Neurobiology bores me stupid .
  • (archaic) Characterized by or in a state of stupor; paralysed.
  • * 1702 Alexander Pope, Sappho 128:
  • No sigh to rise, no tear had pow'r to flow, Fix'd in a stupid lethargy of woe.
  • (archaic) Lacking sensation; inanimate; destitute of consciousness; insensate.
  • * 1744 George Berkeley, Siris §190:
  • Were it not for [fire], the whole wou'd be one great stupid inanimate mass.
  • (slang) Amazing.
  • That dunk was stupid! His head was above the rim!
  • (slang) damn, annoying, darn
  • I fell over the stupid wire.

    Synonyms

    * dense, dumb, retarded, unintelligent * (especially in the Caribbean) stupidy * See also

    Derived terms

    * stupe * stupefy * stupid-ass * stupidity * stupidly * stupidness

    References

    *

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (slang, dated) Extremely.
  • My gear is stupid fly.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A stupid person; a fool.
  • * 1910 , , ‘The Strategist’, Reginald in Russia :
  • ‘You stupid !’ screamed the girls, ‘we've got to guess the word.’
  • * 1922 , Elizabeth G. Young, Homestead ranch
  • "What a stupid I am!" Harry exclaimed, as she watched the man ride away in the distance.
  • * 1996 , Anita Rau Badamim, Tamarind Mem
  • At least those stupids got their money's worth out of this country before they burnt their lungs out.
    1000 English basic words ----

    silly

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (label) Pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , I.vi:
  • A silly man, in simple weedes forworne, / And soild with dust of the long dried way; / His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne, / And face all tand with scorching sunny ray
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • After long storms with which my silly bark was tossed sore.
  • * (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) (1772-1834)
  • The silly buckets on the deck.
  • (label) Simple, unsophisticated, ordinary; rustic, ignorant.
  • * 1633 , (John Donne), "Sapho to Philænis":
  • For, if we justly call each silly man'' / A ''little island , What shall we call thee than?
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • A fourth man, in a silly habit.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep.
  • Foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom; frivolous, trifling.
  • Irresponsible, showing irresponsible behaviors.
  • Semiconscious, witless.
  • (label) Of a fielding position, very close to the batsman; closer than short.
  • Simple, not intelligent, unrefined.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild
  • , title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1 , passage=“Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke
  • (label) Happy; fortunate; blessed.
  • (Chaucer)
  • (label) Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • The silly virgin strove him to withstand.
  • * Robynson (More's Utopia)
  • A silly , innocent hare murdered of a dog.

    Derived terms

    * sillily (adverb) * silly season

    Antonyms

    * ("playful"): pious

    Synonyms

    * ("playful"): charming

    Noun

    (sillies)
  • (colloquial) A silly person; a fool.
  • (colloquial) A mistake.
  • Anagrams

    * * * 1000 English basic words