gormless
Americanadjective
adjective
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
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.
The Guardian's Stuart Heritage was less impressed by the performance, declaring it "gormless", "deeply and unsettlingly confusing" and "one of the all-time great berserk musical performances ever seen".
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2023
Now, there are enough thoughtful screen examinations of racial politics along with normalized visions of inclusive casting to make "You People" stand out as a gormless throwback.
From Salon • Feb. 2, 2023
The thing is, though, despite its nauseating title and its fully male perspective, this is a dramatically rich and nuanced film – and really not the gormless sexist mess it might have been.
From The Guardian • Nov. 29, 2019
Even gormless corporations try to get in on the act, like when Disney attempted a Mickey Mouse/“Unknown Pleasures” mash-up in 2012, causing people to ask — Is this real?
From Washington Post • Jun. 14, 2019
He glanced around at Ron, who was now standing there looking rather gormless, having copied everything Harry had done.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
