# Finding the right word: an adjective describing something that's foolish but not funny. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722 "2019-10-31T00:19:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/1 "2019-10-31T00:19:14Z")
I’m trying to find a word (or words) that would best describe something (e.g., a creative work) that’s painfully stupid or inept but can’t be regarded as even the slightest bit amusing because it’s too offensive, insulting, gross, disturbing, and/or nonsensical. I considered “ludicrous” as a possible word but even its definition covers things that are laughable. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/2 "2019-10-31T00:21:19Z")
Asinine? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/3 "2019-10-31T00:24:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Asinine? I like it. Another, used by an old friend of mine in Abu Dhabi, is “rubbish”. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/4 "2019-10-31T00:35:30Z")
I was going to suggest asinine as well. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/5 "2019-10-31T00:42:20Z")
cretinous moronic half-witted sophomoric inane ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/6 "2019-10-31T01:28:55Z")
That’s what a thesaurus is for. > **[ludicrous: OneLook Thesaurus](https://onelook.com/thesaurus/?s=ludicrous)** > > Synonyms and related words for ludicrous from OneLook Thesaurus, a powerful English thesaurus and brainstorming tool that lets you describe what you're looking for in plain terms. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/7 "2019-10-31T03:44:43Z")
I’ll go with the 4th graders on this: stoopid! ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/8 "2019-10-31T14:12:53Z")
Idiot always works for me. However, you need to be aware that “idiot,” “imbecile,” and “moron” were probably the earliest group of non-politically correct terms. Those were descriptors used by health professionals and hospitals to describe low-IQ individuals. That said, I personally use “idiot” in my every day speech to describe at least one certain individual who regularly demonstrates his absence of any functioning brain cells. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/9 "2019-10-31T18:42:44Z")
In some contexts, at least: gauche. j ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/10 "2019-11-01T08:11:25Z")
Maybe use a phrase starting with “ridiculous”. Ridiculously inappropriate Ridiculously offensive Ridiculously juvenile Ridiculously disgusting ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/11 "2019-11-02T02:08:05Z")
Asinine is good. Abominable is a possibility, but not quite as pure. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/12 "2019-11-02T12:49:53Z")
“Puerile”? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-the-right-word-an-adjective-describing-something-thats-foolish-but-not-funny/842722/13 "2019-11-03T23:44:28Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Maybe use a phrase starting with “ridiculous”. > Ridiculously inappropriate > Ridiculously offensive > Ridiculously juvenile > Ridiculously disgusting The problem is something that can be called “ridiculous” can often still be intentionally or unintentionally funny. The same is true with some of the other adjectives suggested in this thread with the possible exception of “asinine.” However, I find the term “asinine” also implies there’s some deliberate hostility, meanness, and/or dickishness mixed in the stupidity and that would not always be the case in these instances. There are certain situations that can embody the type of word I’m looking for. Things that hit this bad spot perfectly. For example, there are certain types of deaths in fiction and real-life that could be defined by this word. They can’t be called truly tragic or sad because of[the utterly undignified nature of the demise](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CruelAndUnusualDeath) but, at the same time, they’re too ugly and disturbing to even be the source of dark humor or sick jokes.