toothless

adjective

tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
1
: having no teeth
2
a
: lacking in sharpness or bite
spoke in toothless generalitiesArthur Hepner
b
: lacking in means of enforcement or coercion : ineffectual

Examples of toothless in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That letter, considered toothless by some critics within the Academy, prompted an emergency meeting of the AMPAS Board of Governors on Friday. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025 The disconnect between our desires and the toothless symbolism celebrities offer underscores that, ultimately, the problem isn’t their execution but our expectations. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025 From our review: Khan’s lack of screen presence, toothless mixed martial arts sequences and unintelligible editing further knock the film down. The New York Times, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 In the wake of the war in Ukraine, trade between the U.S. and Russia plummeted to the lowest levels since the fall of the Soviet Union -- making Trump's threat of tariffs mostly toothless. ABC News, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for toothless

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toothless was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Toothless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothless. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

toothless

adjective
tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
: having no teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on toothless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!