be quick/slow on the uptake
informalIf someone is quick/slow on the uptake, they understand things easily/with difficulty:
He's a little slow on the uptake, so you may have to repeat the instructions a few times.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Intelligence
- acuity
- acumen
- agile
- apt
- artful
- as (if) to the manner born idiom
- brilliance
- highbrow
- horse sense
- imaginative
- ingenious
- ingenuity
- profound
- quick-witted
- razor-sharp
- ready
- resource
- resourceful
- resourcefulness
- scholarly
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Stupid and silly