not the brightest bulb
Lacking mental wattage
Not the brightest bulb describes someone who isn't very intelligent or quick-witted.
The phrase plays on the metaphor of brightness as intelligence—a dim bulb gives off less light.
It's a gentler, often affectionate way to call someone stupid: He's not the brightest bulb, but he means well.
Variants include not the sharpest tool in the shed and not the brightest crayon in the box.
- dimwitFoolish, slow person
- not the sharpest tool in the shedEuphemism for unintelligent
- not the sharpest knife in the drawerUnintelligent, said gently
- intellectually challengedCognitively impaired, politely
- dim bulbIntellectually sluggish person
one brick shy of a load · birdbrain · airhead · lights are on but nobody's home · out to lunch · dunce · half-wit · simpleton · unperceptive · numbskull · blockhead · dumb as a box of rocks · slow on the uptake · slowpoke · clueless · thick as a brick · underachiever · scatterbrain
not the brightest bulbgenius
Person of rare brilliance
brilliant · sharp as a tack · whip-smart · bright · clever
not the brightest bulbtop-notch
Of superior quality
cream of the crop · exceptional · sharp cookie · impressive · remarkable