chiefly British
as in stupid
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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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 gormless 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
  • In one sense, this isn’t an entirely stupid proposition.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
  • Vel rails against the offender, saying her lover was the kind of warrior the Ghor rebels are trying to be and that her loss is both incalculable and stupid.
    Noel Murray, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • Albon asked Williams for information on where Leclerc was likely slow at the restart, looking for a spot to capitalize.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 18 May 2025
  • Life has likely felt a bit nebulous and slow for you in the past year, Cancer.
    Kyle Thomas, People.com, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Style them with a simple tank for a casual day out, or add a blazer and ballet flats for a more polished airport look.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2025
  • While rectal cancers can be detected with a simple MRI scan, other cancer types are more difficult.
    Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • Starting with the build, the Swift Edge 14 AI measures just 0.65 inch thick and weighs 2.18 pounds.
    Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 16 May 2025
  • At the opposite end of the court, a thick layer of melancholy was present.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • The light turned from orange to dull gray, and then Joe nudged my aching ribs — the tiger was standing in a glade 60 yards downhill.
    Cyril E. Holland, Outdoor Life, 8 May 2025
  • The actors’ shared genetics help Kurt convincingly play the older Wyatt, and their natural charisma helps make even the dullest scenes eminently watchable.
    EW.com, EW.com, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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