mouth-breathing

Lips parted, inhaling

Mouth-breathing literally describes breathing through the mouth rather than the nose, often due to congestion or habit.

The figurative sense dominates: a mouth-breather is someone perceived as dim-witted or socially inept, evoking the slack-jawed look of someone breathing through an open mouth.

The insult suggests dullness or lack of sophistication: The comment section was full of mouth-breathing trolls.

medical

nasal congestion

Blocked airflow through nostrils

sleep apnea · snoring · sinus · blocked nose · stuffy · chronic · respiratory · orthodontic

boorishness

uncouth

Lacking good manners

  • crudeUnpolished, raw state
  • crassCrudely lacking refinement
  • vulgarCrude or indecent

oafish · loutish · boorish · churlish · brutish · coarse · uncivilized · tactless · graceless · gauche

stupidity

idiot

Foolish, senseless person

dunce · dolt · oaf · numbskull · blockhead · dullard · ignoramus · halfwit · nitwit · bonehead

Opposites
respiratory pathway

mouth-breathingnasal breathing

Airflow via nasal passages

nose breathing

intelligence/sophistication (slang)

mouth-breathingintelligent

Having mental acuity

sophisticated · sharp · astute · perceptive · quick-witted

Family

mouth, breath, breathe, breathing, mouthful, breather, breathed, mouthpiece, mouths

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG