Ignorant? Stupid? Both? Questions for a Language Ninja

Q: Can you describe the difference between “ignorance” and “stupidity”? I often wonder about the distinction when reading your posts.

A: The Language Ninja is literally and figuratively sputtering with rage at your insult disguised as a query. She concedes, however, that it is elegantly framed. Well met!

The Ninja will use parabolic shorthand here: A person who doesn’t know what a car transmission does is ignorant of automotive repair facts. A person who doesn’t know what a car transmission does yet attempts to rebuild one, figuring that she’ll just “pick it up as she goes along,” is stupid. In these totally hypothetical examples, the Ninj… um, the person would have been clearly better off acknowledging her ignorance rather than spending weeks scrubbing burnt transmission fluid from underneath her nails and bicycling to work.

Ignorant, as defined by Webster’s Unabridged New 20th Century Dictionary (2nd edition), is:

  1. Lacking knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened 2. Showing lack of knowledge, education or experience 3. Uninformed; unaware of 4. Unwittingly committed (obsolete)

Stupid, as defined by the same source, is:

  1. In a state of stupor; stunned; dazed; stupefied 2. Lacking normal intelligence or understanding; slow-witted; dull 3. Showing or resulting from a lack of normal intelligence; foolish; irrational 4. Dull and boring

Both terms, although their meanings certainly differ, tend to be used without regard for the rather un-subtle distinctions; so much so that “ignorant” now has an accepted informal definition (cited by both the Oxford American Dictionary and the almighty Google), which is “rude, obnoxious, or generally ill-mannered”. This has likely emerged from the very reasonable desire to levy a stinging insult about a person’s social and intellectual deficiencies without appearing to engage in flat name-calling. We often hear politicians, for example, claiming that the incendiary remarks made by opponents are “ignorant”, when they are, more accurately (and formally), stupid. Naturally, in this example, it may be true that the assertions made by the politician in question were based upon ignorant assumptions or lack of evidence. Nevertheless, the fact that they were emphatically posited by someone in a position of authority who has willfully ignored the absence of factual basis is a strong indication of stupidity. Why? Because espousing and maintaining a position without regard for fact, logic, or reason can accurately be described as irrational and foolish – the definition of stupid. However, “ignorant’ is a classier slight, more in keeping with the gravitas of public office, whereas “stupid” is a bold-faced, playground slur. This being the case, “ignorant” will likely continue to be the grown-up putdown of choice.151215-image-ninjapresident

Classy: “My opponent has unquestionably demonstrated his ignorance by stating that my family are ambassadors from the planet Zoltron, sent here to leverage control of the human population by restricting their access to Cheetos.”

Unclassy: “My opponent is a giant stupid-face.”

Conversely, the term “stupid” is commonly used in situations where “ignorant” is more appropriate. Someone who sends a text message or leaves an online comment that is filled with improper uses of “your”, “there”, and “its” isn’t necessarily stupid, but may be ignorant of the accurate grammatical and stylistic constructions. On the other hand, someone who whiles away their free (or work) time trolling comment sections looking for grammar errors to rail against in all-caps is… Well, you see where the Ninja is going.

The Ninja hopes to have satisfactorily clarified the usage differences between “ignorant” and “stupid”. She also hopes that her 2016 presidential candidacy will not be adversely affected by her utter lack of experience, interest, and public support; her failure to appear on any ticket whatsoever, or her checkered history with car components.


Holly Troupe is a professional web content writer and an amateur everything else. She spends her days writing, eating, and looking for ways to incorporate the term “perfidy” into the urban vernacular.