dumb as a box of rocks

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Very stupid.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The drummer in my friend's band is pretty hot, but he's dumb as a box of rocks. I hear he likes me, and I definitely don't want to date him—but is his stupidity any reason not to simply have sex with him? — Carla, Brooklyn, New York

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “dumb as a box of rocks” mean?

Very stupid.

Is “dumb as a box of rocks” formal or informal?

dumb as a box of rocks is generally slang.