rudderless

American  

[ruhd-er-lis] / ˈrʌd ər lɪs /

adjective

1. (of a boat, ship, or aircraft) lacking a rudder, the device or structure used to change direction and steer.

   I love the story of Columba, a priest in sixth-century Ireland, who got into a rudderless boat and let God and providence take him where he was meant to be.

2. lacking purpose, leadership, moral principles, or anything else that might provide direction; aimless.

   The people are drifting and rudderless, without a vision to unify and motivate them and without a shared set of values.

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Etymology

Origin of rudderless

rudder ( def. ) + -less ( def. )

Example Sentences

It sounds like she’s been rudderless for some time now.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

Tottenham were rudderless and it was no surprise when Rogers bagged Villa's second goal on the stroke of half-time.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

They’ve also taken a bigger year-over-year leap than any other team on record—transforming a rudderless, turnover-prone unit into one that defenses can’t figure out how to stop.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

We don't really know how City will line up with their new players either, but they surely can't be as fragile - or rudderless - as they were without Rodri last season.

From BBC • Aug. 15, 2025

I’d failed to appreciate the grip climbing had on my soul, however, or the purpose it lent to my otherwise rudderless life.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer