clueless

adjective

clue·​less ˈklü-ləs 

1

: having or providing no clue

a clueless case for the police to solve

2

: completely or hopelessly bewildered, unaware, ignorant, or foolish

clueless about what they want

cluelessly adverb

I played dumb. I have arrived at a point in my life where I can perform this stunt with aplomb. "What do you mean?" I asked, as cluelessly as I knew how.

—Steve Friedman

cluelessness noun

Mowrey is also trying to make a deer hunter of Bentley, whose cluelessness as an outdoors-man is a rich source of amusement to his country-boy crony.

—Austin Murphy

Synonyms

• ignorant
• unaware
• oblivious

Examples of clueless in a Sentence

When it comes to computers, I'm clueless.

They were clueless about what to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

Read about his legacy as the lovable but at times clueless teen son of the Huxtables. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 July 2025

In one of the great examples of life imitating art, the clueless hair metal band — Harry Shearer's Derek Smalls, Michael McKean's David St. Hubbins, and Christopher Guest's Nigel Tufnel — became a real-life outfit, playing in character as Spinal Tap, headlining shows, and going on tour. —EW.com, 22 July 2025

Each time the National Assessment of Educational Progress scores are released, the same clueless states hover at the bottom: Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and Alaska. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2025

Noah extended his hand for a goodbye handshake, clueless to the heights and depths of our relationship. —Kelly Schwartz, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clueless

• shoeless
• viewless

Kids Definition

clueless

adjective

clue·​less ˈklü-ləs 

: having or providing no clue