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
  • Making stupid internet fodder has never been easier than now, with the prevalence of AI image generators making everything from deepfakes to memes.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Much like the stupid prions wreaking havoc in his brain.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 24 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
  • The company reaffirmed plans to launch an affordable model in early 2025, but warned the production ramp could be slower than expected.
    Akash Sriram and Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The last two years have been incredibly slow, with existing home sales at their lowest levels since the mid-1990s.
    Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The simplest way, Studholme suggests, is to use one group of neutrals or a tone on tone graduation of the same color, such as Pigeon, Blue Gray, Muzzle and Cromarty from Farrow & Ball, for example.
    Ariel Okin, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Asked who’d buy these gold cards during an Oval Office meeting with reporters in February, Trump had a simple answer.
    Meehika Barua, HubSpot, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These Steve Madden platform sneakers feature thick, cushioned soles that provide extra height without sacrificing comfort.
    Jené Luciani Sena, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In the center of the group stood a tall woman with long, thick hair, an easy smile, and a very pregnant midsection.
    Danielle Pergament, Allure, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Designed for Uncertainty – And the Next Economic Landscape Think defense stocks are dull?
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Unlike dry skin, which can be dull and scaly, the leading symptom of eczema is chronic itchiness.
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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