slow-witted
Not very sharp
Slow-witted describes someone who thinks or understands slowly, who takes longer than usual to grasp ideas or situations.
The term is mildly insulting, suggesting dullness rather than genuine intellectual disability: He's not slow-witted, just cautious about speaking up.
The opposite is quick-witted.
Lacking mental acuity
- obtuseLacking mental sharpness
- denseClosely packed together
- thickHaving great depth
- dullLacking edge or interest
stupid · doltish · dopey · simple · unintelligent · thick-headed · blockish · stolid
Lacking grasp of meaning
- blankWithout marks or content
- vacantWithout an occupant
- vacuousEmpty of content
- empty-headedLacking sense or intelligence
glassy-eyed · unperceptive · imperceptive · undiscerning · clueless · unaware · oblivious · puzzled
Lacking mental acuity
- gullibleEasily deceived
- naiveInnocently unsuspecting
- innocentFree from moral wrong
- childlikeHaving youthful innocence
credulous · ingenuous · unworldly · guileless · artless · trustful · impressionable · inexperienced
In a confused state
- befuddledMentally confused, disoriented
- bewilderedThoroughly puzzled and confused
- addledConfused, unable to focus
- muddleheadedLacking mental clarity
befogged · foggy · disoriented · mixed-up · fuzzy-headed · unclear · woolly-headed · scatterbrained
dimwitted
Lacking mental acuity
dull · stupid · doltish · dopey · simple · unintelligent · thick-headed · blockish · stolid · bovine
uncomprehending
Lacking grasp of meaning
empty-headed · glassy-eyed · unperceptive · imperceptive · undiscerning · clueless · unaware · oblivious · puzzled · nonplussed
simple-minded
Lacking mental acuity
childlike · credulous · ingenuous · unworldly · guileless · artless · trustful · impressionable · inexperienced · unsophisticated
muddled
In a confused state
- befuddledMentally confused, disoriented
- bewilderedThoroughly puzzled and confused
- addledConfused, unable to focus
muddleheaded · befogged · foggy · disoriented · mixed-up · fuzzy-headed · unclear · woolly-headed · scatterbrained · absent-minded
lagging
Failing to keep pace
lumbering · halting · hesitant · delayed · gradual · sluggish · tortoise-like · behind · backward · late-blooming
- Smartsintelligent, genius, smart, gifted, brilliant
- dimwitsidiot, dolt, dunce, moron, blockhead
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
- mindlessbrainless, mindless, senseless, unthinking, empty-headed
slow-wittedintelligent
Having mental acuity
smart · brilliant · bright · quick-witted · sharp-witted
slow, slowly, wits, witty, slowness, slowing, slowed, slows, nitwit