group of idiots

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "group of idiots" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used informally to describe a collection of people perceived as foolish or incompetent. Example: "I can't believe they made that decision; it was a classic case of a group of idiots at work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The board of directors looks like a group of idiots, and this sad drama only reinforces the increasingly common perception that CEOs are overpaid and that executives and board members are ultimately looking out for their own interests, not the interests of the company.

Harvard Business Review

My point is that there is a growing group of idiots who have been caught up in the whole HTML5 hurricane and are confusing meatballs with meatballs, spaghetti and sauce.

TechCrunch

It is a great time to meet up with family and friends who I do not get to see as I work overseas for a large multinational corp, your pious and smug group of posters show to me the dangers of allowing an unelected group of idiots to spout total rubbish as they obviously do not have a life.

BBC

It wasn't about watching idiots hurt themselves, it was about watching this particular group of idiots hurt themselves.

HuffPost

They're a very loud, very inconspicuous group of idiots who only ever manage to acheive anything through luck.

Vice

My wife reads two books a week and I just told my son that an idiom is a group of idiots.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

At times, there's confusion about where I'm supposed to be going, who I'm firing at, where they are; AI soldiers hide amid vehicles and pop-our briefly on rooftops; there are few spawned groups of idiots running down the street.

The Guardian - Tech

Or, like going up to a group of noisy idiots in a bar and saying "Louder, idiots, we want to really savour your stupidity".

The Guardian - Sport

When I heard that a group of brainwashed idiots were picking on another group of brainwashed idiots, I felt confused and sad at how stupid the whole world is.

Vice

Any group of armed idiots can cause grief and break stuff, but really trying to start up and run a country is very serious work and involves a major commitment.

Vice

When I heard that a group of brainwashed idiots in thrall to a vengeful, homophobic, polyamorous God were picking on the Mormons, I felt confused and sad at how stupid the world is.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "group of idiots", be mindful of your audience and the context. Its informal and potentially offensive nature makes it unsuitable for professional or formal settings.

Common error

Avoid using "group of idiots" in formal writing. Opt for more professional terms like "ineffective team", "incompetent staff", or "poorly managed organization" to maintain a respectful and appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "group of idiots" functions as a noun phrase used attributively to describe a collection of individuals. Ludwig AI confirms its use in various contexts, usually carrying a negative connotation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "group of idiots" is a grammatically correct phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, used to negatively describe a collection of individuals. While understandable and present in informal news and media, it is unsuitable for professional or formal contexts. Alternatives like "bunch of fools" or "team of incompetents" might be better suited in some situations. Be mindful of your audience and the situation when using the phrase "group of idiots" due to its potential to offend.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bunch of fools

Replaces 'group' with 'bunch' and 'idiots' with 'fools', both conveying a sense of foolishness.

pack of fools

Substitutes 'group' with 'pack', intensifying the negative connotation and implying a collective lack of intelligence.

collection of imbeciles

Replaces 'idiots' with 'imbeciles', a more formal but equally derogatory term.

team of incompetents

Uses 'team' to emphasize the group aspect, and 'incompetents' to highlight a lack of skill or ability.

band of morons

Replaces 'group' with 'band', connoting a close-knit but foolish collection of people, and 'idiots' with 'morons'.

cluster of numbskulls

Employs 'cluster' and 'numbskulls' to express a gathering of particularly unintelligent individuals.

gang of nitwits

Substitutes 'group' with 'gang', suggesting a group acting foolishly together, and replaces 'idiots' with 'nitwits'.

circle of simpletons

Uses 'circle' to imply a close association, and 'simpletons' to denote naive or foolish individuals.

troupe of buffoons

Replaces 'group' with 'troupe', highlighting a performance or display of foolishness, and uses 'buffoons' to describe clowns or fools.

company of dunces

Substitutes 'group' with 'company', and uses 'dunces' to describe people considered incapable of learning.

FAQs

How can I use "group of idiots" in a sentence?

You can use "group of idiots" to describe a collection of people perceived as foolish or incompetent. For example: "The board of directors seems like a "group of idiots", given their recent decisions."

What can I say instead of "group of idiots"?

You can use alternatives like "bunch of fools", "team of incompetents", or "collection of imbeciles" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "group of idiots" in professional communication?

No, it is generally not appropriate to use "group of idiots" in professional communication. It is better to use more formal and respectful language, such as "ineffective team" or "poorly managed organization".

What's the difference between "group of idiots" and "band of morons"?

While both phrases express negative sentiment about a group of people, "group of idiots" is a more general term. "Band of morons" might imply a closer-knit group acting foolishly together.