thick as a brick

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

Meaning · English

Very stupid; slow to learn or understand.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

So you ride yourselves over the fields And you make all your animal deals And your wise men don't know how it feels To be thick as a brick.

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 “thick as a brick” mean?

Very stupid; slow to learn or understand.

Is “thick as a brick” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.