wordless

adjective

word·​less ˈwərd-ləs How to pronounce wordless (audio)
1
: not expressed in or accompanied by words
a wordless picture book
2
: silent, speechless
sat wordless throughout the meeting
wordlessly adverb
wordlessness noun

Examples of wordless in a Sentence

he stood wordless before his accusers a wordless fondness for each other
Recent Examples on the Web With such a talent as Dizzia on board, wordless reactions at crucial points make explanatory exchanges unnecessary. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2024 It’s become a cathartic practice and wordless diary, connective tissue when so much around us seems to be fracturing, something full of guts and blood and soul that feels deeply personal and unapologetically human. Michael Gallant, Billboard, 15 May 2024 Although there is torture and brutality, the story also frequently opts for softer, wordless images of actors playing the nameless people who did not survive. Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024 Scott Walker, the Beach Boys, and Burt Bacharach—there’s a lot of those wordless vocals and harmonies in all their songs. Thomas Hobbs, SPIN, 3 May 2024 The orchestra delivered it with almost apocalyptic intensity, as if mounting a wordless protest. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2024 Better still, in one marvelous, wordless interlude, an ape tells a joke to a cavern full of other apes. Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024 The ferocious power of its wordless lament radiated on some low, invisible frequency through the museum walls. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Primarily a theater actress, Davis made her screen debut with a small, wordless role in the 1996 film Substance of Fire and continued in bit parts for years before her own breakthrough in 2008’s Doubt. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wordless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wordless was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near wordless

Cite this Entry

“Wordless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wordless. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

wordless

adjective
word·​less ˈwərd-ləs How to pronounce wordless (audio)
1
: not expressed in or having words
a wordless picture book
2
: silent sense 1, speechless
sat wordless throughout the meeting
wordlessly adverb
wordlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wordless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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