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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 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
  • The pair will make stupid decisions, and viewers will likely wonder: would a girl like Paula really do that for a mess like Sloane?
    Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 13 June 2025
  • This one is one person on the street obviously taking the soul of a protester who was stupid enough to go after some police officers.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 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
  • Strain into a highball glass, while simultaneously adding the club soda together in one slow stream to achieve the fluffy, towering fizz.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • And while the Canadian industry made early gains to close a gender gap in the film and TV industry, making strides in advancing and promoting talent from underrepresented Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities has been slower and more incremental.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • White is easy, simple, and many times, the best choice for a clean slate.
    Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 5 June 2025
  • Ahead of the most important game of the year, Luke Esquivel said the key to a strong performance will be simple.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • In her papers, there were thick scrapbooks of Christmas cards, many from fellow-celebrities—Berg clearly adored Christmas.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Jane is heard asking the male escort to wear a condom, but is interrupted by Combs, whose voice appears thick and slurred, as music pulsed in the background.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • There are a few family members who only wear olive, mustard, khaki, black and other dull colors; clunky, unattractive shoes; and few accessories.
    Judith Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025
  • Age Defense Retinol Complex 0.5 is no exception, which shines with its abilities to reduce the look of fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and overall dull skin.
    Sarah Han, Allure, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Gormless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gormless. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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!