1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
his astounding feats of witlessness are the stuff of family legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
for sheer witlessness the movie's dialogue deserves some sort of award
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of witlessness
No, but the line captures the aristocracy’s witlessness.
—
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witlessness
Noun
-
She was found not responsible by reason of insanity and remanded to mental health treatment.—
Selina Guevara,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Many of us have spent the past 15 months focused on chaos and bouts of incredulity, if not insanity.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The exact timing depends on the shape, thickness, and whether the pasta contains a filling.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Don’t be afraid to hang an oversized mirror above the sink—just make sure to consider the thickness of the frame, so as to not take up unnecessary visual weight.—
Fiona Bornhöft,
Architectural Digest,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Either way, madness can’t be normalized with more madness.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There is a method to the madness.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Staples of French cuisine, these dishes are beloved for their elegant simplicity — and are must‑tries for any foodie.—
Toni Odejimi,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
-
People really love her silent simplicity in a lot of ways.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Gleefully ludicrous and committed to its own absurdity, this ensemble comedy earns every outrageous laugh.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
-
One takes a scathing look at the absurdities of the American healthcare industry, while the other reinforces the season’s nature-out-of-balance themes.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This season Fears has shown both the maturity of the player who came back to discuss his actions with his head coach, and the foolishness of the hothead who responded with the hard foul.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
There was no foolishness tolerated from him and, of course, Magic, his lieutenant.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Witlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witlessness. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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