nameless

adjective

name·​less ˈnām-ləs 

1

: obscure, undistinguished

2

: not known by name : anonymous

3

: having no legal right to a name (as due to being born to parents not married to each other)

4

: not having been given a name : unnamed

5

: not marked with a name

a nameless grave

6

a

: incapable of precise description : indefinable

b

: too repulsive or distressing to describe

namelessly adverb

namelessness noun

Synonyms of nameless

• unnamed
• unidentified
• anonymous

Examples of nameless in a Sentence

She left the hotel with a nameless man in a black jacket.

The source for my story prefers to remain nameless.

A top government official, who shall remain nameless, has expressed concern about the decision.

The men were buried there in nameless graves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Although she's been around for more than two weeks now, the baby giraffe is still nameless! — Usa Today, USA Today, 16 June 2026

That’s bad news for our nameless hero’s nine-year-old daughter Rainy (Yang Enyou, button-cute but with some pleasing grit), visiting from their native China. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 June 2026

Roosevelt surely understood that nameless, unreasoning, unjustified fear cannot be eradicated. — New York Times, 9 June 2026

This tour was nameless when originally announced, but t-shirts for sale at the merch stand call it the Long Hot Summer Tour 2026. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nameless

• aimless
• blameless
• shameless

Kids Definition

nameless

adjective

name·​less ˈnām-ləs 

1

: having no name

2

: not marked with a name

a nameless grave

3

: unknown entry 1, anonymous

a nameless hero

4

a

: impossible to describe

nameless fears

b

: too disgusting or disturbing to be described

nameless acts of cruelty