It’s inevitable that sometimes in life, we will encounter people we don’t find particularly clever. But is “not the sharpest tool in the shed” a good idiom to use in these circumstances? Is there a more formal option?
We have the answers to all these pressing questions! Moreover, we’ve compiled a list of alternative words, phrases, and idioms for you to use to keep your moderately insulting commentary fresh!
Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed Synonyms
- Of limited capacity
- Sharp as a marble
- Dimwitted
- Unintelligent
- Ignorant
- Intelligent thoughts have always followed them, but they were faster
- Struggles to process new information
- As thick as a stump
- Not a thought behind those eyes
- Unencumbered by deep thought
- Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier
- Not the sharpest crayon in the box
- Not the sharpest knife in the drawer
- Unburdened by an overabundance of schooling
- Dumb as a bag of hammers
- Dumb as a box of rocks
- A few bricks short of a full load
- Not the sharpest knife in the drawer
- Thick as two short planks
- Not academically gifted
- A few cards short of a deck
- The light is on, but nobody’s home
- Struggles intellectually
- It’s impossible to underestimate them
- Stupid
- Dumb
- Dim
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The phrase “not the sharpest tool in the shed” is correct and suitable to use in informal circumstances.
- To change your phrasing in informal settings, you call someone “sharp as a marble.”
- In formal settings, you should go with “of limited capacity” instead.
Before you go! We still need to unpack our choice of formal and informal alternatives to “not the sharpest tool in the shed” in more detail.
After that, we’ll consider the correctness of the original phrase and discuss when it should, or should not, be used.
Of Limited Capacity (Formal)
Sayings like “not the sharpest tool in the shed” should generally be avoided in professional settings.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a more polite euphemism to imply that someone is intellectually challenged, you need to go about this very vaguely and carefully.
Our choice of formal synonym for the phrase “not the sharpest tool in the shed” is “of limited capacity.”
In this context, this phrase essentially means that someone has limitations when it comes to the kinds of tasks they can do at work.
This phrase is suitably vague, so it should not come across as overly rude or judgmental.
Let’s look at an email example to see how this phrase might be employed in a professional setting:
Dear Peter,
I will be sending my PA to your department tomorrow, as Greta is on leave.
Henry is a hard worker, but he is of limited capacity. As such, I would recommend leaving simple administrative tasks to him, but nothing too complex.
Regards,
Ashley
Sharp as a Marble (Informal)
Another way to say “not the sharpest tool in the shed” in informal settings is “sharp as a marble.”
This expression isn’t popular enough to be considered an idiom like the original expression. Nonetheless, it is lighthearted and humorous.
However, it can also come across as a little unkind or rude. Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend directing it at someone in general. But, if you really want to, do so outside of office hours!
You can use phrases like this in casual settings to imply that someone isn’t very clever.
For instance, consider the example scenario below:
Person 1: Why does Fred keep switching on the garden lights and sprinting across the yard?
Person 2: I told him there’s nothing faster than the speed of light and he took it as a personal challenge.
Person 1: Oh, Fred. Sharp as a marble, that one.
Is It Correct to Say “Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed”?
The phrase “not the sharpest tool in the shed” is an English idiom. Therefore, it is perfectly correct to use it when you are implying that someone is not very smart.
You can use this phrase in informal settings to comment on someone else’s stupidity. However, there are many similar sayings to this one. You can find a lot of them on our list if you want to shake things up.
It would also be a good idea to use one of the more formal euphemisms on our list if you’re in the workplace. It’s always good to be as vague as possible if you’re commenting on someone’s smarts at work.
In conclusion, “not the sharpest tool in the shed” is correct in English and suitable for casual settings.
If you think you might want to try one of the other idioms on our list at some point, feel free to bookmark this page for later!