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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
the backbencher professed himself horrified by the gormlessness and naïveté of the prime minister
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 gormless
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
Adjective
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gormless
Adjective
-
This is just stupid how successful this is, but that’s really underselling it.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
-
Camp, stupid, joyful—to both own and access—Labubu has taken over.—
Lara Johnson-Wheeler,
Vogue,
31 May 2025
Noun
-
Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part the chicken registers 165 degrees, 10 to 14 minutes longer, depending on thickness.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
21 May 2025
-
For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Edge measures 5.8mm in thickness.—
Prakhar Khanna,
Forbes.com,
16 May 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
-
Despite the retirement of highly successful Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, the transition to Vulcan has been slow and continues to impact the completion of Space Force mission objectives.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2025
-
Still, even if the growth is slower than in some North American leagues, European teams continue to appreciate.—
Justin Teitelbaum,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
The commission is currently charged with giving final approval for Envision Evanston 2045, an initiative that would increase density that Biss has strongly supported.—
Richard Requena,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
-
On a per-acre basis, cannabis can use slightly less or more water than avocados depending on planting density and climate.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Trevon Williams, who did not escape from the New Orleans jail, was charged with 10 counts of being a principal to simple escape, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on May 23.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
-
Related Stories 13 Under-The-Radar Activities And Experiences In Key West The 11 Best Key West Restaurants On The Water Rooms And Rates The rooms are bright, cheerful, and simple, with colorful coastal touches in artwork and decorative items like pillows.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Its thick plastic outer casing is impervious to flex.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
-
Conversely, smog, cloud cover, and thicker ozone layers limit the amount of UV radiation that reaches the skin.6 Locations further from the equator at higher altitudes experience less sunlight in the winter and more in the summer.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
The bittersweet result didn’t dull a remarkable career and legacy for Kelly.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
But the drama can be very stolid, borderline dull at times.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share