speechless

adjective

speech·​less ˈspēch-ləs How to pronounce speechless (audio)
Synonyms of speechlessnext
1
: unable to speak : dumb
2
: not speaking : silent
3
: not capable of being expressed in words
speechlessly adverb
speechlessness noun

Examples of speechless in a Sentence

I was speechless with shock. Your story left me speechless.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His friends, from brother Luigi (Charlie Day) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) veer in a similar direction, somehow coming across less fully formed and three-dimensional than their nearly speechless inspirations from Nintendo‘s flagship franchise. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2026 In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2023 Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless. Arkansas Online, 10 Jan. 2023 Crockett was speechless when Tapper informed him that was not the case. Bryan Pietsch, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Jan. 2023 See All Example Sentences for speechless

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of speechless was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Speechless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speechless. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

speechless

adjective
speech·​less ˈspēch-ləs How to pronounce speechless (audio)
1
: unable to speak
2
: not speaking for a time : silent
speechless with surprise
speechlessly adverb
speechlessness noun

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