mindless

adjective

mind·​less ˈmīn(d)-ləs 

1

a

: marked by a lack of mind or consciousness

a mindless sleep

b(1)

: marked by or displaying no use of the powers of the intellect

mindless violence

(2)

: requiring little attention or thought

especially : not intellectually challenging or stimulating

mindless work

a mindless movie

2

: not mindful : heedless

mindless of the consequences

mindlessly adverb

mindlessness noun

Synonyms

• dumb
• stupid
• slow
• simple
• thick
• brainless
• dense

Examples of mindless in a Sentence

The article was a mindless piece of nonsense.

The movie has been criticized for its mindless violence.

a mindless waste of time

He seemed to be completely mindless of the danger he was facing.

She was mindless of her appearance.

Recent Examples on the Web

More than 50 years after its release, this tale of summer seems to sum up the dark arc of the counterculture, its images ranging from the innocent bohemianism of the Beach Boys to the mindless violence of the Manson family. —Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025

But when the film hit theaters in 2002, that was just one of many surprises for audiences used to the slow, mindless zombies originated by George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead series. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025

Do the zombies need to be dead or can they just be infected with a virus that turns them into mindless cannibals? —James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025

Crowds—this is Crews’s great novel of crowds, of their mindless delights and savage whims—come to bear witness to Herman’s undertaking. —Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

mindless

adjective

mind·​less ˈmīn-(d)ləs 

1

a

: lacking the ability to think, feel, or respond

a mindless killer

b

: showing no use of the intelligence

mindless violence

2

: not mindful

mindlessly adverb

mindlessness noun