1
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
the captain finally had to deal with the cretin in the back of the plane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moron
a stupid person
in discussions anyone who disagrees with her is inevitably called a cretin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cretin
But the good things Huff did 10 years ago don’t give him a lifetime pass to be a cretin.
—
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2020
There are the buck-passers, cretins who are content to simply stand up, find another table, and pass their misfortune on to some other unsuspecting soul.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, 26 Aug. 2019
Law's take on the royal cretin Vortigern ranges from very evil to very, very evil.
—John Serba | [email protected], NOLA.com, 12 May 2017
The problem, of course, is a small minority of cretins who are destructive just for the sake of being destructive, without any regard for the environment or any consideration for others who deserve to see our natural areas without blemish.
—Steve Lipsher, The Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2017
See All Example Sentences for cretin
Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2020
There are the buck-passers, cretins who are content to simply stand up, find another table, and pass their misfortune on to some other unsuspecting soul.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appétit, 26 Aug. 2019
Law's take on the royal cretin Vortigern ranges from very evil to very, very evil.
—John Serba | [email protected], NOLA.com, 12 May 2017
The problem, of course, is a small minority of cretins who are destructive just for the sake of being destructive, without any regard for the environment or any consideration for others who deserve to see our natural areas without blemish.
—Steve Lipsher, The Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2017
See All Example Sentences for cretin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cretin
Noun
-
On that note…being concise doesn’t mean being a total jerk either.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Rockwell's Officer Dixon, a mama’s boy with a screw loose and a history of torturing Black prisoners, is a target of her ire − that is, until the actor carefully adds layers to what could be a one-note jerk. 14.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Robert Pattinson recalls lying on live TV about seeing clown die in car explosion as a kid: 'What on Earth?' Pattinson also surprised audiences at the convention, making an unannounced appearance alongside his director.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
24 Feb. 2025
-
These clowns dressed as presidents appear immature and narcissistic.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
An underrated gem — not enough people have seen this top-tier season — Squirrels Trip has some fabulous vocals, very funny lyrics, a heavy dose of stupid, and an engaging story.—
Barry Levitt,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The stupid!—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 July 2021
Noun
-
Responding officers found the dog, and advised the owner to take the dog in.—
cleveland,
cleveland,
13 Sep. 2023
-
Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.—
Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam,
Anchorage Daily News,
13 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
Even the jokers, which do each have their own special ability, are quick to pick up — with their wildcard capabilities made easy to understand as they’re applied mid-round.—
Scott Robertson,
Rolling Stone,
24 Dec. 2024
-
This lucky gambler had an 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king and a joker.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Cornell University’s Department of Public & Ecosystem Health expert Jenny Bloodgood told NBC News that she’s seen a fox, a skunk, a possum and a bobcat test positive for the virus in New York State, indicating the bug could be mutating.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Medium-sized animals like skunks, bobcats and foxes also did not vanish.—
Anton Sorokin,
Smithsonian Magazine,
5 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cretin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cretin. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share