know-nothing
Proudly uninformed person
A know-nothing is someone who is ignorant or who claims to know nothing about a subject, often to avoid responsibility or involvement.
The term carries strong connotations of willful ignorance or anti-intellectualism.
The know-nothings on the committee refused to acknowledge the scientific evidence.
As an adjective, know-nothing describes attitudes or groups characterized by such ignorance: know-nothing politics. (Capitalized Know-Nothing refers to the 19th-century American political party.)
Stupid, foolish person
- dumbassVulgar term for fool
- moronWitless, dense person
- numbskullStupid or foolish person
- boneheadFoolish or stupid person
idiot · dullard · airhead · doofus · twit · cretin · oaf · bozo
Slow-witted person
- ignorantLacking knowledge or awareness
- uneducatedLacking formal instruction
- simpletonUnintelligent person
- dimwitFoolish, slow person
dolt · nitwit · fool · clueless · uninformed · unlearned · unlettered · unenlightened
Mid-nineteenth century decade
- nativismPreference for native-born citizens
- anti-immigrantOpposing foreign newcomers
- anti-CatholicBiased against Roman Catholics
- secretiveInclined to conceal
xenophobia · populism · Samuel Morse · political realignment · secret society · political machine · ethnocentrism · sectarian
Free from moral wrong
- unsophisticatedLacking refinement or complexity
- gullibleEasily deceived
- trustingInclined to believe others
- simpleFree of complexity
childlike · credulous · unworldly · ingenuous · green · artless · guileless · impressionable
Opposed to educated thought
- incuriousLacking desire to learn
- closed-mindedUnreceptive to new ideas
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
- intransigentRefusing to compromise
unyielding · opinionated · willfully ignorant · recalcitrant · inflexible · uncooperative · defiant · dismissive
blockhead
Stupid, foolish person
bonehead · idiot · dullard · airhead · doofus · twit · cretin · oaf · bozo · nincompoop
dunce
Slow-witted person
- ignorantLacking knowledge or awareness
- uneducatedLacking formal instruction
- simpletonUnintelligent person
dimwit · dolt · nitwit · fool · clueless · uninformed · unlearned · unlettered · unenlightened · uninstructed
1850s
Mid-nineteenth century decade
- nativismPreference for native-born citizens
- anti-immigrantOpposing foreign newcomers
- anti-CatholicBiased against Roman Catholics
secretive · xenophobia · populism · Samuel Morse · political realignment · secret society · political machine · ethnocentrism · sectarian · restrictionist
innocent
Free from moral wrong
- unsophisticatedLacking refinement or complexity
- gullibleEasily deceived
- trustingInclined to believe others
simple · childlike · credulous · unworldly · ingenuous · green · artless · guileless · impressionable · wide-eyed
anti-intellectual
Opposed to educated thought
- incuriousLacking desire to learn
- closed-mindedUnreceptive to new ideas
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
intransigent · unyielding · opinionated · willfully ignorant · recalcitrant · inflexible · uncooperative · defiant · dismissive · smug
know-nothingpolymath
Multi-domain expert
genius · scholar · expert · sage · intellectual
know-nothingscholar
Learned, studious person
intellectual · lifelong learner · bookworm · curious mind · philosophe
know-nothingintellectual
Concerning thought and reason
technocrat · expert · meritocrat · cosmopolitan · elitist
knowledge, known, unknown, acknowledge, well-known, acknowledged, knowingly, knowledgeable, unknowing