1
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a dog so witless that it is barely trainable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stupid
showing or marked by a lack of good sense or judgment
a witless decision to relocate to the other side of the country without even the prospect of a job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of witless
Austin doesn't even seem to register his witless neighbor's lack of social skills until Craig punches his lights out—supposedly in fun—during a guys' night get-together.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 9 May 2025
Bruno Guimaraes made it 4-1 when Joelinton intercepted a witless clearance from Altay Bayindir.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The federal government, in all its wisdom, is once again gearing up to save the witless American people from themselves.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
But this latest effort, premiering on Prime Video, proves a relentlessly vulgar and witless affair that not even the talents of stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon and a comedically gifted supporting cast can rescue.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for witless
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 9 May 2025
Bruno Guimaraes made it 4-1 when Joelinton intercepted a witless clearance from Altay Bayindir.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
The federal government, in all its wisdom, is once again gearing up to save the witless American people from themselves.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
But this latest effort, premiering on Prime Video, proves a relentlessly vulgar and witless affair that not even the talents of stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon and a comedically gifted supporting cast can rescue.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for witless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witless
Adjective
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In fact, one of my chief complaints about some contemporary thrillers is the feeling that characters are required to do dumb stuff by the unseen hand of the author, just so more crazy twists can happen.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
But Williamson isn’t usually dumb.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Most big comedy shows at the fest had a strict no cellphones policy, Seinfeld was content with just reminding us that our friends are all sick of our stupid cellphone videos.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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Don’t eat stupid food, don’t do music in the background.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pool service can be a bit slow during busy times, but once your perfectly prepared daiquiri arrives, all is forgiven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
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So future agreements could involve cooler normalisation, selective security cooperation, quieter diplomacy and a slower expansion.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Let’s face it, life is full of foolish decisions.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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Trump previously said his administration would have been foolish not to accept it.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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The useful answer may be simpler than expected once the real priority becomes obvious.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The decor with sheepskin rugs and arm lamps for reading lights is neither flashy nor overtly quirky, but simple and homey, as if it were designed by a tasteful Scandinavian grandmother who relocated to the wilds of Patagonia.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The fantasy comedy twisted the types of fairy tales that Disney was known for with cruder and sillier humor and centered a grumpy ogre journeying to save a princess.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
So, yes, this movie about the silly baby Yoda creature has a lot riding on it.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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But even for someone like myself, totally ignorant to the lore and not really seeking to change that, the Star Wars universe can look genuinely interesting, and some games every now and then manage to tap into that potential.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
30 Apr. 2026
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Jahmil Eady – Freaky As gentrifiers take over her neighborhood, a Gullah Geechee woman, Annabelle (Melanie Nicholls-King) calls on ancestral knowledge, which has dire consequences for the newcomers who have begun to take over the land, ignorant of its history.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unfortunately, in life, there are few greater certainties than eventual statistical regression to the mean; the Broncos are primed for it, after winning an absurd amount of one-score games.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
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The Daily Show making fun of two absurd AI start-ups designed by losers to cater to a loser clientele.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Witless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witless. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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