gormless

American

[gawrm-lis] / ˈgɔrm lɪs /

adjective

Chiefly British Informal.

lacking in vitality or intelligence; stupid, dull, or clumsy.

gormless British

/ ˈɡɔːmlɪs /

adjective

informal stupid; dull

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does gormless mean? Gormless is a slang word meaning stupid, dull, or clumsy. Gormless is typically applied to people (and sometimes their actions). It is chiefly used in the U. K. Example: I feel totally gormless whenever I make a silly mistake like that.

Etymology

Origin of gormless

First recorded in 1740–50; respelling of earlier gaumless, from Northern English and Scots dialect gaum “heed, attention” (from Old Norse gaumr ) + -less

Vocabulary lists containing gormless

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mr. Storey quoted lines from his play — “Idiot! Buffoon! Gormless imbecile!” — with each blow.

From Washington Post • Mar. 28, 2017

It refers to the director general as "Gormless George" and "Bungling Entwistle".

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023