as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a comedy show that invariably portrays the British aristocracy as a bunch of gormless twits
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Recent Examples of gormless
There’s some droll humor in this pileup of bad decisions and bad behavior — particularly in one running gag that sees Carey doggedly befriending Ashley’s parade of exes, including one hilariously gormless f-boy played by drawling ensemble standout Charlie Gillespie.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2025
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much of the movie unfolds inside the suburban Connecticut mansion where Lily lives with her gormless mother (Francie Swift) and her loathsome stepdad.
—Justin Chang, latimes.com, 8 Mar. 2018
Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2025
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much like bad prose, his gormless suits draw far too much attention to themselves.
—Hazlitt, 19 Dec. 2024
Much of the movie unfolds inside the suburban Connecticut mansion where Lily lives with her gormless mother (Francie Swift) and her loathsome stepdad.
—Justin Chang, latimes.com, 8 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gormless
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
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And some stupid Republicans, and foolish Republicans, fall into the net.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 July 2025
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The film ends with Lady Susan setting herself up in a kind of throuple, although one member of the ménage is too stupid to be so informed.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Without automation, errors are common and reimbursement is slow.—
Duke Chung,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Skin Conditions Dry, itchy skin, and wounds or cuts that are slow to heal can be a sign of hyperglycemia.—
Barbie Cervoni,
Verywell Health,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Looking for their environmental DNA in scales, slime or skin cells that living beings shed all the time is a simpler way, Workman said.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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The question is why England made such heavy weather of what should have been a relatively simple task.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Back inside, the primary suite carries on the adobe style with thick, smooth walls and rounded edges.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
14 July 2025
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Sides of hand-cut fries ($3) were fairly standard, and onion rings ($5) were thick and addictively crunchy.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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For organizations looking to unlock efficiency and save their human workforces from dull and repetitive tasks, agents represent an exciting opportunity.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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The best vitamin C cleansers can come in handy for this—most are packed with brightening antioxidants and fruit enzymes to gently slough away dull, dead skin and protect it from free radicals.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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