Phrase guide

not the sharpest knife in the drawer

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Lacking in intelligence; dimwitted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, humorous

Examples

  • 2003,Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development, S:1 E:3 “And I know he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's sensitive, Michael,” “He fits in a lot of ways, but he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, is he?” “Maybe he just plays it stupid so people expect less of him.”

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, not the sharpest crayon in the box, not the sharpest tool in the box/shed, dumb as a bag of hammers/...box of rocks

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: ikke den skarpeste kniv i skuffen — being stupid
  • Dutch: niet de slimste van het stel — being stupid
  • Finnish: ei penaalin terävin kynä — being stupid
  • French: ne pas avoir inventé le fil à couper le beurre — being stupid
  • German: nicht der hellste Stern am Himmel — being stupid
  • Hebrew: לא העיפרון הכי מחודד בקלמר (ló haiparón hakhí m'khudád b'kalmár) — being stupid
  • Hungarian: nem a legélesebb kés a fiókban — being stupid
  • Icelandic: að reiða ekki vitið í þverpokum — being stupid
  • Irish: ní hé is éirimiúla amuigh — being stupid
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ikke den skarpeste kniven i skuffen — being stupid
  • Polish: zakuty łeb — being stupid
  • Russian: не бле́щет умо́м (ne bléščet umóm) — being stupid
  • Swedish: inte vara den vassaste kniven i lådan — being stupid