sharp as a bowling ball
Not at all
Sharp as a bowling ball is an ironic expression meaning not sharp at all—that is, dull or stupid.
Since bowling balls are smooth spheres with no edges whatsoever, describing someone as sharp as a bowling ball is a sarcastic way of calling them dim-witted.
He thought he was clever, but he's about as sharp as a bowling ball.
The phrase belongs to a family of similar mock comparisons like "clear as mud" or "useful as a screen door on a submarine."
- tongue-in-cheekHumorously not meant literally
- flat as a pancakeExtremely horizontal comparison
- dim bulbIntellectually sluggish person
- not the brightest bulbLacking intelligence or wit
- deadpanExpressionless, especially for humor
one brick shy of a load · ironic · satirical · thick as a brick · dumb as a box of rocks · facetious · slow on the uptake · self-deprecating · dry humor · gutter ball · absurdist · witty banter · dull as dishwater · pinsetter · spare · strike · split · slippery as an eel
sharp as a bowling ballsharp as a tack
Extremely intelligent and alert
brilliant · razor-sharp · genius · quick-witted · bright
sharp as a bowling ballsharp as a tack
Extremely intelligent and alert
smart cookie · bright spark · quick study · wise · sage
sharp as a bowling ballquick on the uptake
Fast to understand
witty · sharp-tongued · on the ball · quick · incisive
sharp, sharpen, sharpened, sharpening, sharpener, sharper, sharpest, sharply, sharpness