toothless

adjective

tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs 

1

: having no teeth

2

a

: lacking in sharpness or bite

… spoke in toothless generalities.

—Arthur Hepner

b

: lacking in means of enforcement or coercion : ineffectual

Examples of toothless in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their previously clinical attack, with four goals scored from four shots on target across the preceding two league games, became toothless. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

This broad language on local spending authority may render the earlier stipulations toothless. — Abigail Hall, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

Brussels, distracted by internal crises, is toothless to fight back, as member states diverge from its democratic norms or reimpose sovereign border controls. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026

Ferrell, Henchy and David Gordon Green all previously worked on Eastbound & Down, a sports comeback series with enough superficial similarities to underline how toothless The Hawk and especially its characters are. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for toothless

• ruthless

Medical Definition

toothless

adjective

tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs 

: having no teeth