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dumbing down


Meanings
  • noun

    The process of making complex information or language simpler and easier to understand, often perceived as a negative thing.

    - "The use of simplified language in news reports is often criticized as an example of dumbing down."
    - "Some argue that dumbing down is necessary to reach a wider audience."
    - "The trend towards dumbing down in education is a cause for concern among many educators."

Rhymes
Words rhyming with dumbing down
drowning , crowning , prowling , mowing
Variants
List of all variants of dumbing down that leads to same result
dumb down , dumbed down , dumbing down , dumbs down
Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

The term 'dumbing down' is believed to have originated in the late 20th century and is derived from the verb 'dumb', meaning to make someone or something less intelligent or capable.


Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word
  1. The term 'dumbing down' was popularized in the 1990s by British journalist and author Martin Amis in his book 'Experience'.

  2. Some argue that the trend towards dumbing down is driven by the need to cater to a shorter attention span in modern society.

  3. The use of dumbing down in education has been a subject of debate for decades, with some arguing that it is necessary to make learning more accessible, while others argue that it can lead to a lack of critical thinking skills.


Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to
  1. Simplification: The process of making something simpler or easier to understand, which can be seen as both positive and negative depending on the context.

  2. Degradation: The process of making something less valuable or prestigious, which can be related to the idea of dumbing down.


Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

Dumbing down is a term that has been used in various contexts, including education, media, and politics. It is often used to criticize the simplification of complex ideas or language, which can be seen as a negative trend that can lead to a lack of depth and nuance.

How to Memorize "dumbing down"

  1. visualize

    - Visualize the process of simplifying complex ideas or language until they become easier to understand.
    - Imagine a bell curve representing the distribution of complexity in information, with dumbing down shifting the curve towards the left to cater to a wider audience.

  2. associate

    - Associate the term 'dumbing down' with simplification and the loss of depth and nuance.
    - Think of a watered-down version of something complex.

  3. mnemonics

    - Use the acronym DUMB to remember the definition of dumbing down: D - Degradation, U - Unnecessary Simplification, M - Making Complex Simple, B - Broadening the Audience.


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