Synonyms of benighted

benighted

adjective

bi-ˈnī-təd 

as in ignorant

lacking in education or the knowledge gained from books

the poor benighted souls who do not know the joys of reading

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignorant
• dark
• uneducated
• untutored
• inexperienced
• untaught
• illiterate
• unschooled
• unlearned
• uninstructed
• nonliterate
• unlettered
• innocent
• simple
• unread
• rude
• naive
• foolish
• uncultured
• unsophisticated
• analphabetic
• stupid
• idiotic
• dumb
• uncultivated
• artless
• functionally illiterate
• callow
• semiliterate
• unknowledgeable
• green
• moronic
• imbecile
• unskilled
• witless
• innumerate
• untrained
• lowbrow
• silly
• philistine
• brainless
• senseless
• raw

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• literate
• brilliant
• educated
• knowledgeable
• intelligent
• experienced
• smart
• expert
• lettered
• intellectual
• well-informed
• erudite
• trained
• well-read
• learned
• schooled
• scholarly
• familiar
• cultured
• sophisticated
• aware
• cultivated
• acquainted
• highbrow
• polymath
• polyhistoric

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of benighted

If or when the elephants die, our own benighted species will surely not be far behind. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026

Even with Dibble effortlessly laying waste to every point and argument made by his benighted co-guest, Joe Rogan remained unconvinced. — Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025

With the midterm election still nearly a year off — and the 2028 presidential contest eons away — many of those angry or despondent over the benighted state of our union desperately wanted to do something to push back. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025

In particular, a conviction that the Internet and free trade would attract benighted countries toward liberal democratic capitalism became commonplace. — Benn Steil, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2025