toothless
Americanadjective
-
lacking teeth.
-
without a serrated edge, as a saw.
-
lacking in force or sharpness; dull; ineffectual.
a toothless argument.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of toothless
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at tooth, -less
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.
As usual, the toothless punishment did not fit the crime: Ross apologized to clerks and agreed not to serve as chief judge or on a judicial council.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
“It’s the one bill that protects commercial tenants, and it’s a fairly toothless bill because they don’t have to acknowledge it, unless you make them acknowledge it,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Standing about 25 inches tall, it likely had a toothless beak, large eye sockets, and hollow bones.
From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026
"I didn't even move for the English when they colonised us," she told AFP through a toothless smile, a year after the army broke the siege, and 70 after the British occupation of Khartoum ended.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
Next to the reality of the nightmares, my premonitions felt like toothless bedtime stories.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
