nameless

[neym-lis]

adjective

1. having no name.

2. left unnamed.

   a certain person who shall be nameless.

3. anonymous.

   a nameless source of information.

4. incapable of being specified or described.

   a nameless charm.

5. too shocking or vile to be specified.

   a nameless crime.

6. having no legitimate paternal name, as a child born out of wedlock.

7. unknown to fame; obscure.

   a nameless poet; nameless defenders of the country.

nameless

/ ˈneɪmlɪs /

adjective

1. without a name; anonymous

2. incapable of being named; indescribable

   a nameless horror seized him

3. too unpleasant or disturbing to be mentioned

   nameless atrocities

4. having no legal name; illegitimate

   a nameless child

Other Word Forms

• namelessness noun
• namelessly adverb
• quasi-nameless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nameless¹

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; name, -less

Example Sentences

“There’s a lot of respect for her taking on the challenge of cleaning up Biden’s mess in 2024,” said the strategist, who asked to remain nameless to avoid compromising an as-yet-unannounced candidate.

From Los Angeles Times

Sometimes, it’s easier just to keep anguish as a nameless, formless thing, as Victor does in the first half of the film’s tagline: “Something bad happened to Agnes.”

From Salon

These things are not happening to Carrie, though; they are happening to the nameless narrator, surreptitiously titled “the woman.”

From Salon

His press flak insinuates it’s because the senator’s name sounds like that of a nameless criminal.

From Los Angeles Times

The county Public Guardian serves as a conservator for vulnerable disabled residents, but can’t accept nameless cases.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• unheard-of 
• unnamed 

When To Use

What does nameless mean?

Nameless means having no name, as in Emily Dickensen’s poems are all nameless, so we refer to them by their first lines instead.Nameless also means anonymous, as in Journalists sometimes use nameless sources of information in order to get the details they need for their stories.You might use nameless to describe something incapable of being described, such as a nameless charm.Example: A nameless writer created one of the world’s most well-known proverbs.