witless

adjective

wit·less ˈwit-ləs

Synonyms of witless

: lacking wit or understanding : foolish

: mentally unsound

… drive one witless with anxiety.—William Styron

witlessly adverb

witlessness noun

Examples of witless in a Sentence

He committed a witless blunder. a dog so witless that it is barely trainable

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.

Try for yourselves, ye witless knaves— Take each to bed your Sally! — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 The shadows that flicker across the walls of a narrow alley as Belén fights off some witless soldiers. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 21 May 2026 Gavras and Arbery may have other, more singular aims in mind, hidden beneath all the obvious skewering of witless wealth. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for witless

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of witless was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

withywind

witless

witlessly

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Witless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witless. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

witless

adjective

wit·less ˈwit-ləs

: lacking wit : foolish

witlessly adverb

witlessness noun

witless

adjective

Synonyms of witless

Examples of witless in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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