baseless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- baselessly adverb
- baselessness noun
Etymology
Origin of baseless
Explanation
If something's baseless, it can't be proven or justified. A baseless accusation of cheating, for example, has no facts or evidence to back it up. Baseless facts in a research paper don't have sources — they may have simply come from the writer's own imagination. A baseless allegation is when one person accuses another of doing something wrong, without having any solid proof or reason for the accusation. The sense of base that baseless comes from is "foundation," from the Greek basis, "step or pedestal."
Vocabulary lists containing baseless
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 3
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Mythology
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Novel Study: Oedipus Rex, Parts IV–VI
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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.
The company fired back from its official X account on April 12: “Justin’s favorite move is playing the victim while making baseless allegations to cover up his own misconduct.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
"But if the allegation is that insurgents used the market, that makes their claim very baseless."
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
“Ms. DeLorenzo was terminated following three seasons of documented underperformance. The allegations in this lawsuit are baseless, and we will vigorously defend against them in court.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
In a statement, they said Russia has been "pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work".
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
“You see? This is how it starts. A few baseless rumors get around, and pretty soon you can kiss Dino-land goodbye!”
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
