dumb down
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.52 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To convey some subject matter in simple terms, avoiding technical or academic language, especially in a way that is considered condescending.
Transitive verb
verb
To become simpler in expression or content; to become unacceptably simplistic.
Intransitive verb
Example Sentences
- "The public won't understand this concept. We need to dumb down our explanation of it."
- "Television has really dumbed down over the past ten years."
- "The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudo-science and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance."
- "As the reports are written for both the industry and general public, inspectors are required to use accessible language that is free from jargon but without 'dumbing down'."