simpleton

noun

sim·​ple·​ton ˈsim-pəl-tən How to pronounce simpleton (audio)
: a person lacking in common sense

Examples of simpleton in a Sentence

The instructions were so complicated I felt like a complete simpleton. his silly antics at office parties have earned him a reputation as a simpleton
Recent Examples on the Web Americans, even or especially historians, tend to treat the early New Englanders as dogmatists: narrow, pious simpletons. Marilynne Robinson, Harper's Magazine, 1 July 2022 All three of his major poetry-writing heteronyms, with their distinctive and incompatible orientations to life—a holy simpleton of a shepherd, a moody naval engineer, and a stoical medical student turned Latin instructor—are impressive modern poets, as is Pessoa under his own name. Benjamin Kunkel, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021 His competition was Forrest Gump, a feel-good studio drama that located America’s soul in a sweet simpleton played by Tom Hanks. Michael Schulman, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2023 Redmayne plays a creep; Henry, a yearner; Keoghan, a simpleton. Glenn Whippcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2023 Keoghan’s village simpleton, who becomes a poor substitute friend for Farrell’s character, is both delightfully weird and gradually gutting as the traumas of his upbringing become clearer. Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Dec. 2022 Turning what could have been merely a simpleton into a lost soul, Keoghan’s work here is vivid and heartbreaking. Glenn Whippentertainment Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2022 Savvy and simpleton investors alike could easily pick apart Snap’s latest quarterly data. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2022 White brought a similar whiplash to Rose Nylund, the oracle of St. Olaf, Minnesota, and The Golden Girls’ complicated simpleton. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'simpleton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

simple entry 1 + -ton (as in surnames such as Washington)

First Known Use

circa 1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of simpleton was circa 1630

Dictionary Entries Near simpleton

Cite this Entry

“Simpleton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simpleton. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

simpleton

noun
sim·​ple·​ton ˈsim-pəl-tən How to pronounce simpleton (audio)
: a person lacking in common sense

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