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

Examples of senseless in a Sentence

Don't be such a senseless idiot! she collapsed, senseless, after hitting her head
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Please look at this and help remove this senseless provision. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025 Ideally, this leads to a place where even the unthinkable doesn’t seem senseless. Jane Ciabattari june 24, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025 How 'Jaws' stacks up against the best summer blockbusters ever 50 years ago, ‘Jaws’ scared us senseless. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 June 2025 Eugene has joined the ranks of the many enterprising freak shows working the New Orleans party circuit, where rich people pay him to dress up like a boxer and beat himself senseless. Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for senseless

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of senseless was circa 1547

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Senseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senseless. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!