30 Metaphors for Stupid + Quiz


Let’s dive into the fascinating and sometimes hilarious world of metaphors that describe, well, not being the sharpest knife in the drawer. You know, those witty and often colorful expressions used to gently (or not-so-gently) poke fun at someone’s lack of smarts.

We’re going to explore each of these metaphors, break them down, and even put them in sentences, so you get the full picture. It’s going to be a fun, informative ride, so let’s get started!

Being stupid is like trying to paddle a boat with a hole in it. If you want to find more similes related to being stupid, you can check out this resource: Similes for Stupid. Additionally, if you’re interested in idioms associated with being stupid, you can explore them here: Idioms for Stupid.

What is a Metaphor for Stupid?

First things first, what exactly is a metaphor for “stupid”? In simple terms, it’s a figure of speech that compares someone’s intelligence (or lack thereof) to something else, usually in a humorous or exaggerated way.


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Created by Dr. Julia Rossi

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1 / 20

What is a simile?

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Identify the simile in the following sentence: “She swims like a fish.”

3 / 20

What is a metaphor?

4 / 20

Which of the following is a metaphor?

5 / 20

What is an idiom?

6 / 20

What does the idiom “break the ice” mean?

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What is an adjective?

8 / 20

Choose the adjective in the following sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

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What is an abbreviation?

10 / 20

What does the abbreviation “e.g.” stand for?

11 / 20

What is a verb?

12 / 20

Identify the verb in the following sentence: “The cat sleeps on the sofa.”

13 / 20

“Out of the frying pan into the fire” is an example of:

14 / 20

Which of the following is an adjective?

15 / 20

The abbreviation “NASA” stands for:

16 / 20

Choose the metaphor in the following sentence: “Time is a thief.”

17 / 20

What does the idiom “hit the books” mean?

18 / 20

Which of the following sentences contains a simile?

19 / 20

“LOL” is an abbreviation for:

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Identify the verb in this sentence: “They whispered secrets into the night.”

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It’s not just saying someone is not smart; it’s painting a more vivid, often comical picture of their intellectual shortcomings. So, let’s jump into our list and see what each of these metaphors really means.

Here’s a summary of the metaphors for “stupid” in a table format:

MetaphorMeaningExample Sentence
Dumber than a bag of rocksExtremely unintelligentHe’s dumber than a bag of rocks.
Thick as a brickVery slow to understandThick as a brick, this one.
Not the sharpest tool in the shedLacking in intelligence or common senseDefinitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.
A few fries short of a Happy MealMissing essential elements of thoughtA few fries short of a Happy Meal, for sure.
Two sandwiches short of a picnicLacking common senseClearly two sandwiches short of a picnic.
A few cards shy of a full deckLacking intelligence or common senseDefinitely a few cards shy of a full deck.
Not playing with a full deckMentally unsound or lacking intellectShe’s not playing with a full deck.
Not the brightest bulb in the boxNot very intelligentNot the brightest bulb in the box.
One brick short of a loadLacking in intelligenceOne brick short of a load, that guy.
Missing a few marblesNot entirely mentally soundMissing a few marbles for sure.
A couple of clowns short of a circusSilly or lacking in common senseDefinitely a couple of clowns short of a circus.
Not the brightest crayon in the boxNot very smartNot the brightest crayon in the box.
A few screws looseNot completely sane or intelligentA few screws loose for sure.
Doesn’t have all the horses in the barnLacking in common sense or intelligenceDoesn’t have all the horses in the barn.
A few slices short of a loafMissing essential elements of intelligenceA few slices short of a loaf.
Not the quickest bunny in the forestSlow to understandNot the quickest bunny in the forest.
Missing a few buttonsNot fully mentally equippedClearly missing a few buttons.
A few feathers short of a full duckLacking in intelligence or common senseA few feathers short of a full duck.
A few grapes short of a fruit saladNot completely there in terms of intellectA few grapes short of a fruit salad.
Not firing on all cylindersNot thinking clearly or lacking intelligenceDefinitely not firing on all cylinders.
A few tacos short of a combination plateMissing essential elements of thoughtA few tacos short of a combination plate, that one.
Doesn’t have all the gears in placeLacking in common sense or intelligenceDoesn’t have all the gears in place.
A few steps behindSlow to catch up or understandA few steps behind.
A few volts short of a chargeNot completely mentally soundA few volts short of a charge.
Not the wisest owl in the treeNot very smart or wiseNot the wisest owl in the tree.
A few pages missing from the bookLacking in intelligence or common senseA few pages missing from the book.
Not the smoothest ride on the roadNot very intelligent or smooth in thinkingNot the smoothest ride on the road.
A few bricks short of a wallLacking in intelligence or common senseA few bricks short of a wall.
Doesn’t have all the keys on the pianoMissing essential elements of intelligenceDoesn’t have all the keys on the piano.
Not the brightest star in the skyNot very smartNot the brightest star in the sky.
metaphors for stupid

Metaphors for Stupid

1. Dumber than a Bag of Rocks

Meaning: Really, really unintelligent.

In a Sentence: “He tried to start his car without the keys; he’s dumber than a bag of rocks.”

2. Thick as a Brick

Meaning: Extremely dense or slow to understand.

In a Sentence: “I’ve explained it five times, but he’s still not getting it. Thick as a brick, this one.”

3. Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed

Meaning: Lacking in intelligence or common sense.

In a Sentence: “She couldn’t figure out how to open the unlocked door. Definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.”

4. A Few Fries Short of a Happy Meal

Meaning: Missing essential elements of thought or understanding.

In a Sentence: “He thought the sun revolved around the Earth, a few fries short of a Happy Meal, for sure.”

5. Two Sandwiches Short of a Picnic

Meaning: Not completely mentally sound or lacking common sense.

In a Sentence: “She tried to water the plants in the rain, clearly two sandwiches short of a picnic.”

6. A Few Cards Shy of a Full Deck

Meaning: Lacking intelligence or common sense. In a Sentence: “He sold his car for gas money, definitely a few cards shy of a full deck.”

7. Not Playing with a Full Deck

Meaning: Mentally unsound or lacking in intellect.

In a Sentence: “She believes in flat Earth; she’s not playing with a full deck.”

8. Not the Brightest Bulb in the Box

Meaning: Not very intelligent or quick to understand.

In a Sentence: “He stared at the ‘Push’ sign on the door and pulled. Not the brightest bulb in the box.”

9. One Brick Short of a Load

Meaning: Lacking in intelligence or common sense.

In a Sentence: “He tried to pay for a free sample. One brick short of a load, that guy.”

10. Missing a Few Marbles

Meaning: Not entirely mentally sound or lacking smarts.

In a Sentence: “She tried to microwave a can of soda, missing a few marbles for sure.”

11. A Couple of Clowns Short of a Circus

Meaning: Silly or lacking in common sense.

In a Sentence: “He put shoes on his hands to keep them warm, definitely a couple of clowns short of a circus.”

12. Not the Brightest Crayon in the Box

Meaning: Not very smart or sharp.

In a Sentence: “She couldn’t find her phone while talking on it. Not the brightest crayon in the box.”

13. A Few Screws Loose

Meaning: Not completely sane or intelligent.

In a Sentence: “He tried to use a TV remote to call me, a few screws loose for sure.”

14. Doesn’t Have All the Horses in the Barn

Meaning: Lacking in common sense or intelligence.

In a Sentence: “He waited hours for a stop sign to turn green. Doesn’t have all the horses in the barn.”

15. A Few Slices Short of a Loaf

Meaning: Missing essential elements of intelligence.

In a Sentence: “She thought chocolate milk came from brown cows, a few slices short of a loaf.”

16. Not the Quickest Bunny in the Forest

Meaning: Slow to understand or not very intelligent.

In a Sentence: “He couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag, not the quickest bunny in the forest.”

17. Missing a Few Buttons

Meaning: Not fully mentally equipped.

In a Sentence: “She asked if the ocean was wet, clearly missing a few buttons.”

18. A Few Feathers Short of a Full Duck

Meaning: Lacking in intelligence or common sense.

In a Sentence: “He looked for his glasses while wearing them, a few feathers short of a full duck.”

19. A Few Grapes Short of a Fruit Salad

Meaning: Not completely there in terms of intelligence.

In a Sentence: “She tried to get a suntan from moonlight, a few grapes short of a fruit salad.”

20. Not Firing on All Cylinders

Meaning: Not thinking clearly or lacking intelligence.

In a Sentence: “He forgot his own birthday, definitely not firing on all cylinders.”

21. A Few Tacos Short of a Combination Plate

Meaning: Missing essential elements of thought.

In a Sentence: “He tried to swipe left on a paper photo. A few tacos short of a combination plate, that one.”

22. Doesn’t Have All the Gears in Place

Meaning: Lacking in common sense or intelligence.

In a Sentence: “She thought a quarterback was a refund, doesn’t have all the gears in place.”

23. A Few Steps Behind

Meaning: Slow to understand or catch up.

In a Sentence: “He’s always lost in conversation, a few steps behind.”

24. A Few Volts Short of a Charge

Meaning: Not completely mentally sound or intelligent.

In a Sentence: “He asked if animals can get human diseases, a few volts short of a charge.”

25. Not the Wisest Owl in the Tree

Meaning: Not very smart or wise.

In a Sentence: “She thinks the moon is made of cheese, not the wisest owl in the tree.”

26. A Few Pages Missing from the Book

Meaning: Lacking in intelligence or common sense.

In a Sentence: “He thought he could see the Great Wall of China from space with binoculars, a few pages missing from the book.”

27. Not the Smoothest Ride on the Road

Meaning: Not very intelligent or smooth in thinking.

In a Sentence: “He tried to sell his car for gas money, not the smoothest ride on the road.”

28. A Few Bricks Short of a Wall

Meaning: Lacking in intelligence or common sense.

In a Sentence: “He looked for his headphones while they were in his ears, a few bricks short of a wall.”

29. Doesn’t Have All the Keys on the Piano

Meaning: Missing essential elements of thought or intelligence.

In a Sentence: “She tried to download more RAM for her computer, doesn’t have all the keys on the piano.”

30. Not the Brightest Star in the Sky

Meaning: Not very smart or insightful.

In a Sentence: “He thought the ocean’s saltiness was due to the land’s sweat, not the brightest star in the sky.”

Here are 10 quiz questions about the metaphors listed in the article:

  1. Which metaphor suggests a lack of mental sharpness akin to an incomplete set of playing cards?
    • A) Not the brightest star in the sky
    • B) A few cards shy of a full deck
    • C) Not the sharpest tool in the shed
    • D) Two sandwiches short of a picnic
  2. “Dumber than a bag of rocks” implies what level of intelligence?
    • A) Slightly confused
    • B) Moderately intelligent
    • C) Extremely low intelligence
    • D) Average intelligence
  3. What does “Not the brightest bulb in the box” metaphorically mean?
    • A) Not very intelligent
    • B) Extremely intelligent
    • C) Very creative
    • D) Highly energetic
  4. If someone is described as “A few fries short of a Happy Meal,” what does it imply?
    • A) They are hungry
    • B) They are missing essential elements of thought
    • C) They are a fast-food enthusiast
    • D) They are a cheerful person
  5. “A few screws loose” is a metaphor for someone who is:
    • A) Very focused
    • B) Not completely sane or intelligent
    • C) Good at fixing things
    • D) Clumsy
  6. Which metaphor suggests a person is not very quick to understand?
    • A) Not the wisest owl in the tree
    • B) A few volts short of a charge
    • C) Thick as a brick
    • D) A few grapes short of a fruit salad
  7. If someone is “Missing a few marbles,” what does it suggest about their mental state?
    • A) They are extremely intelligent
    • B) They are very organized
    • C) They are not entirely mentally sound
    • D) They are lost in thought
  8. What does the metaphor “A couple of clowns short of a circus” imply about a person?
    • A) They are very entertaining
    • B) They are silly or lacking in common sense
    • C) They enjoy going to circuses
    • D) They are afraid of clowns
  9. “Not the quickest bunny in the forest” is a metaphor for someone who is:
    • A) Extremely fast
    • B) Slow to understand
    • C) Very cautious
    • D) Nature-loving
  10. What does “Doesn’t have all the gears in place” suggest about a person’s intelligence?
    • A) They are mechanically inclined
    • B) They are lacking in common sense or intelligence
    • C) They are very organized
    • D) They have a high IQ

These questions are designed to test understanding of the metaphors and their meanings in a fun and engaging way.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! A whole list of metaphors for “stupid” with their meanings and examples. These sayings are not just funny; they paint a vivid picture of someone’s intellectual capabilities (or lack thereof) in a way that’s more engaging than just saying “not smart.”

Remember, while they’re fun to use and read, it’s always important to be kind and considerate in how we describe others. After all, we all have our “not-so-bright” moments!

Cite this entry:

Phrasesdirectory.com. “,” Retrieved from Phrases Directory – Accessed

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