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. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rudderless

The conflict has upended the fun-loving vibes the musician spent his life cultivating, with the family seeming rudderless without him, according to court documents and interviews.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Some of the anecdotes you have shared reflect the character of someone who is rather rudderless right now.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 30, 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

If England were ruthless West Indies were rudderless as this match marked the end of a pretty chastening tour.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2025

At last his wife was rudderless, trying to steer some sort of course on a sea of confusion, asking him for directions.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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