BRAINLESS Synonyms: 197 Similar and Opposite Words

brainless

adjective

ˈbrān-ləs

Definition of brainless

as in dumb

not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily a teacher who affirms that there are no brainless students, only lazy ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stupid

showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment a brainless decision to talk on her cell phone while weaving in and out of traffic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of brainless This extends well beyond the 2025 Bombers, their signature head-scratching and somewhat brainless play on the field has plagued them dating back to 2021. — James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025 There's really no way to prep for the show — basically, just don't be brainless. — Lindsay Soll, EW.com, 25 July 2025 So, what can the neuronal activity of a tiny, brainless creature possibly tell us about the evolution of our own complex brains? — Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 15 June 2024 An oyster, immobile and nearly brainless, is hardly even an animal, despite what the taxonomists tell us. — Peter Rubin, Longreads, 9 Jan. 2024 See All Example Sentences for brainless

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brainless

Adjective

What used to be a forum for original, quirky, clever remarks by the Daily News’ varied community of smartypants has turned into a gridlock of repetitious venting of old, dumb blah.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026
How to make an iPhone a 'dumb phone' To simplify an iPhone, users should engage Assistive Access, an iOS feature intended for users with cognitive disabilities.

— Greta Cross, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of dumb

Adjective

Even when Romanzy goes off on how stupid and ugly Caleb is — and gossips that his parents abandoned him because something must be wrong with him — Mary goes along with it.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
Shockingly, the letter seems to be pushing for a return to standardized tests by, in effect, arguing that a growing percentage of their students are simply too stupid to succeed, no matter what professors do.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of stupid

Adjective

Still, as the game wore on to the waning moments, both teams were visibly sapped of energy and moving at a slower pace, including Haaland, who faded late in the game, was subbed out at the 105-minute mark and replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026
The question is whether the stock price leaves enough room if that recovery is slower, messier, or pricier than hoped.

— Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

Definition of slow

Adjective

Johnson continued this week to push for his foolish and counterproductive desire to impose a $33-per-month tax on each Chicago job generated by the city’s largest private-sector employers.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
As is, this is a foolish thriller that prompts the occasional snicker but not much more.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Definition of foolish

Adjective

Sevigny holds firm to Tatum’s hard-to-love jerkishness, which helps smooth over the serious arguments that can turn inadvertently silly (and amplifies the purely silly ones).

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
The post also included a sweet selfie with her two younger sons, with Mateo smiling widely and Ciro making a silly face for the camera.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Definition of silly

Adjective

With the blessing and support of the Forest Service, the tribe began working to restore parts of its homeland — not as a shrubland, or thick conifer forest, but an open and free tapestry anchored by oaks.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Big bluegills fight hard, and hauling them out of sunken trees or thick vegetation on light tackle takes real skill.

— Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026

Definition of thick

Adjective

England’s 2-1 victory against Mexico — and that insane Azteca Stadium crowd — also was richly deserved.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Allowing Trump to declare insane levels of tariffs would have been really bad for the economy and bad for Republicans.

— Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 July 2026

Definition of insane

Browse Nearby Words

braining

brainless

brainlessness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Brainless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brainless. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of brainless

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on brainless

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

loquacious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes