Clever
Clever adjective - Having or showing quickness of mind.
Usage example: a clever student figured out a trick to do the assignment faster
Nearby Words: cleverness, cleverly
Dumb
Dumb adjective - Not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily.
Usage example: don't call him dumb just because he makes the occasional mistake like the rest of us
Both words in one sentence
- Terry Pratchett often subverts this trope by putting clever or profound statements in the mouths of Dumb Muscle characters, often with the smug addendum, "I may be slow, but I ain't stupid."
Source: Dumb Muscle / Literature - Abbott is clever, mean and sly and Costello is usually dumb and happy or at least naive and happy-go-lucky.
Source: Dumb Is Good - Dumb Blonde: Initially, Obsidian seems like a subversion; he comes off as quite clever, watching the other tributes for strengths and weaknesses while revealing none of his own.
Cite this Source
Dumb and Clever. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/dumb
Clever & Dumb. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/dumb>.
Dumb or Clever. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/clever/dumb.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "clever" and "dumb" have occurred on timeline