toothless

adjective

tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
1
: having no teeth
2
a
: lacking in sharpness or bite
spoke in toothless generalitiesArthur Hepner
b
: lacking in means of enforcement or coercion : ineffectual

Examples of toothless in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Decades of exempting Israel from international standards while pursuing empty and toothless talk of an unattainable two-state future has severely undermined the United States’ standing in the world. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 But landlords often have little incentive to address housing code violations under a D.C. enforcement system that can be lengthy and ultimately toothless insofar as compelling meaningful relief for tenants, council members and housing advocates say. Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Interspersing her piece with tales of her own (toothless) cat, Florence Meowmalade, Ho creates a delightful read. Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 14 Feb. 2024 Some of the same legislators that voted for that bill now refuse to support even a toothless education bill aimed at outdoor workers, Wood said. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2024 That would effectively render toothless Article 5 of the alliance’s charter, which requires members to aid one another in the event of an outside attack. Peter Baker, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 In effect, however, this instrument has often been toothless, because other EU states must agree unanimously that a member state undermined the rule of law. Arancha González Laya, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2024 The toothless caenagnathids were related to dinosaurs like Oviraptor from Mongolia, although their fossil record in North America is much sparser and often represented only by a few skeletal parts. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024 To some observers, including some Indigenous critics, those acknowledgments are just toothless moral theater. Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toothless.' 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

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toothless was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near toothless

Cite this Entry

“Toothless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothless. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

toothless

adjective
tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
: having no teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on toothless

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