as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a comedy show that invariably portrays the British aristocracy as a bunch of gormless twits
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Recent Examples of gormless
This is the least intentional of this trio of gormless, spray-and-pray LPs but perhaps the most layered and ambitious.
—
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
There are worse things than watching Black, Rudd, and Zahn play three gormless morons on a mid-life misadventure, but almost every scene and setpiece is constructed with a haphazardness that blunders away their charm.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 23 Dec. 2025
Ustinov hired him, though, as Stamp had unwittingly replicated Billy Budd’s gormless behavior.
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2025
There’s some droll humor in this pileup of bad decisions and bad behavior — particularly in one running gag that sees Carey doggedly befriending Ashley’s parade of exes, including one hilariously gormless f-boy played by drawling ensemble standout Charlie Gillespie.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2025
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much of the movie unfolds inside the suburban Connecticut mansion where Lily lives with her gormless mother (Francie Swift) and her loathsome stepdad.
—Justin Chang, latimes.com, 8 Mar. 2018
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
There are worse things than watching Black, Rudd, and Zahn play three gormless morons on a mid-life misadventure, but almost every scene and setpiece is constructed with a haphazardness that blunders away their charm.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 23 Dec. 2025
Ustinov hired him, though, as Stamp had unwittingly replicated Billy Budd’s gormless behavior.
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2025
There’s some droll humor in this pileup of bad decisions and bad behavior — particularly in one running gag that sees Carey doggedly befriending Ashley’s parade of exes, including one hilariously gormless f-boy played by drawling ensemble standout Charlie Gillespie.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2025
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much of the movie unfolds inside the suburban Connecticut mansion where Lily lives with her gormless mother (Francie Swift) and her loathsome stepdad.
—Justin Chang, latimes.com, 8 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gormless
Adjective
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And the script’s very cute but deeply dumb leading man, Alex (Nico Carney), climbs a flight of stairs toward his best friend’s bedroom door.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
-
And there are no ego-destroying confrontations with people who know how to do things, who tell you that your idea is dumb.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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The pyrotechnics, however, come from Amanda and Danielle, who get in one of those stupid fights that are only possible after a full day of drinking in a retro vehicle.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
-
Yes, Ken really is this stupid.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Armando Chavez, owner of local business NorCal Siders, was brought in for a simple roof patch-up but left with a big idea.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The fire initially grew into a huge inferno, creating a pillar of thick, black smoke that could be seen for miles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
That thick, ugly vein, the shrimp feeling, was gone.—
Sarah Miller,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
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Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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