toothless

[tooth-lis]

adjective

1. lacking teeth. tooth.

2. without a serrated edge, as a saw.

3. lacking in force or sharpness; dull; ineffectual.

   a toothless argument.

Other Word Forms

• toothlessly adverb
• toothlessness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toothless¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; tooth, -less

Example Sentences

The home crowd anticipated waves of attack but United failed to take advantage, proving toothless against David Moyes' battling team.

Read more on Barron's

When they proved toothless, the failure to respond made another war with Israel inevitable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But because they had all worked the night before, they were especially toothless.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Her conclusion was startling, her tone defiant: “Put me wherever you want: misguided socialist, toothless humanist, naïve novelist, useful idiot, apologist, denier, ally, contrarian, collaborator, traitor, inexcusable coward.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Asean advocates says this is what keeps it united, and that it can quietly exert pressure effectively behind the scenes – but detractors say it makes it toothless.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• flat