senseless

adjective

sense·​less ˈsen(t)s-ləs How to pronounce senseless (audio)
: destitute of, deficient in, or contrary to sense: such as
a
: unconscious
knocked senseless
b
: foolish, stupid
it was some senseless practical jokeA. Conan Doyle
c
: meaningless
a senseless murder
senselessly adverb
senselessness noun

Example Sentences

Don't be such a senseless idiot! she collapsed, senseless, after hitting her head
Recent Examples on the Web Now another Chicago family is dealing with the city’s senseless gun violence. Deanese Williams-harris, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2023 To do so would be to deprive her of her humanity, as represented by her capacity for senseless violence, and her artistry. Jennifer Wilson, The New Republic, 8 Mar. 2023 To the longtime and hyper-traditional observer, baseball played with a clock is senseless. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2023 That is what makes Wednesday’s senseless violence all the more tragic. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 22 Feb. 2023 Americans understandably want help making sense of the otherwise senseless deaths that populate the front pages of local papers and constitute Netflix’s extensive true-crime back catalog. WIRED, 21 Feb. 2023 Temple has lost an officer and hero to senseless violence. Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2023 Video footage of the incident, released this past Friday, led to mass protest in many cities and an anguished response to yet another senseless death. Neil Gross, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2023 Overnight, yet another community was torn apart by a senseless act of gun violence. Steve Helling, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'senseless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of senseless was circa 1547

Dictionary Entries Near senseless

Cite this Entry

“Senseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senseless. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

senseless

adjective
sense·​less ˈsen(t)-sləs How to pronounce senseless (audio)
1
: unconscious entry 1 sense 2
knocked senseless
2
3
: pointless sense 1, meaningless
a senseless act
senselessly adverb
senselessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on senseless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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