faceless

American  

[feys-lis] / ˈfeɪs lɪs /

adjective

1. without a face.

   a faceless apparition.

2. lacking personal distinction or identity.

   a faceless mob.

3. unidentified or unidentifiable; concealing one's identity.

   a faceless kidnapper.

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faceless British  

/ ˈfeɪslɪs /

adjective

1. without a face

2. without identity; anonymous

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Other Word Forms

• facelessness noun

Etymology

Origin of faceless

First recorded in 1560–70; face + -less

Explanation

Use the adjective faceless to mean impersonal or anonymous. The corrupt owner of a factory sees his employees as faceless worker bees. The enormous audience in a concert arena appears faceless to the rock band on stage. You also might think of the people who make the laws that affect you every day as nothing but faceless bureaucrats. When there's nothing distinct about a person or group, something that makes them stand out as a unique individual, they're faceless. It's also a good way to describe anything lacking character or interest, like a faceless row of identical suburban houses.

Example Sentences

Many say it's yet another example of low quality "AI slop" churned out by faceless accounts.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Some noncoastal ad firms as a result are more aggressively pitching themselves as the friendly antithesis to faceless, famous agencies, now embracing rather than apologizing for their lack of metropolitan elitism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

"For me, in Catholicism, Jesus was born in a manger. He wasn't born in a tent with faceless parents, with nothing."

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

Gabriel could have come across as a mere cipher in this environment, a faceless spook navigating smoke and mirrors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

“I am a nameless and faceless representative of the junior class,” the Colonel answered, shaking Maxx’s hand.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Related Words

• forgettable
• nameless