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as in thick
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily she accused him of being dense when he didn't seem to understand her at first

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dense contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dense are crass, dull, dumb, and stupid. While all these words mean "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions," dense implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas.

too dense to take a hint

When can crass be used instead of dense?

The words crass and dense can be used in similar contexts, but crass suggests a grossness of mind precluding discrimination or delicacy.

a crass, materialistic people

When might dull be a better fit than dense?

While the synonyms dull and dense are close in meaning, dull suggests a slow or sluggish mind such as results from disease, depression, or shock.

monotonous work that leaves the mind dull

When would dumb be a good substitute for dense?

The meanings of dumb and dense largely overlap; however, dumb applies to an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.

too dumb to figure out what's going on

When is it sensible to use stupid instead of dense?

The words stupid and dense are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary.

stupid students just keeping the seats warm
stupid with drink

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 dense That occurred mainly during a period of dense housing construction from the 1880s through the 1910s, according to a 2020 study sponsored by the Department of City Development. Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 23 July 2025 Alden’s Organic Mint Chip Ice Cream: The texture was simply too light; tasters missed the dense, creamy consistency found in other contenders. Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 July 2025 In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2025 Where the Earth has a dense atmosphere, abundant water and life, Mars is a desiccated, lifeless world where even the prospects of finding fossil bacteria are a long shot. New Atlas, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dense
Adjective
  • The downside of this route is that digital books can easily get lost in the shuffle of crowded devices.
    Vikrant Shaurya, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Also in central Gaza on Sunday, at least 12 people were killed and more than 40 injured when an Israeli airstrike targeted a crowded junction, according to Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex central Gaza City.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • Sides of hand-cut fries ($3) were fairly standard, and onion rings ($5) were thick and addictively crunchy.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
  • The three-day Tampa conference was thick with criticism of DOJ and disbelief that the president could have let so many people down.
    Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • In summer 2023, Levitt booked another trip to Cuba and, once again, only packed bikinis.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 13 July 2025
  • The packed living rooms and TikTok-worthy, standing-room-only bar scenes where spectators gather to watch the show live look like sporting events.
    Cynthia Salinas Cappellano, CNN Money, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Without automation, errors are common and reimbursement is slow.
    Duke Chung, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Skin Conditions Dry, itchy skin, and wounds or cuts that are slow to heal can be a sign of hyperglycemia.
    Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.
    Jakob Roze, Health, 21 July 2025
  • But the party was especially focused on reforming public finance, calling for strict economy in expenditures and even tighter limits on taxation.
    Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.
    Daniel Jackson, Allure, 18 July 2017
  • Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.
    Andy Benoit, The MMQB, 10 July 2017
Adjective
  • The compact device plugs into the headphone jack beneath your seatback screen and connects to your Bluetooth headphones with up to 20 hours of charge on a single use.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025
  • Removing suckers from compact determine types, which produce tomatoes within a shorter amount of time, can result in a smaller yield of fruit on the parent plant.
    Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • And some stupid Republicans, and foolish Republicans, fall into the net.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 July 2025
  • The film ends with Lady Susan setting herself up in a kind of throuple, although one member of the ménage is too stupid to be so informed.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dense. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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