gormless
/'gɔ:mlis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lacking intelligence and vitality; foolish or stupid: Used to describe someone who appears slow-witted, dull, or lacking in common sense and mental sharpness. It implies a vacant or clueless demeanor.
- Devoid of initiative or awareness: Suggests a person who is not alert, perceptive, or quick to understand.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- He stood there with a gormless expression, completely baffled by the simple instructions.
- The film's villain was a rather gormless henchman who kept making silly mistakes.
- Don't just give me that gormless look; try to think for yourself!
Advanced Usage
- "gormless wonder": A humorous or sarcastic term for a person who is particularly foolish or clueless.
- He's a real gormless wonder; he locked his keys in the car for the third time this month.
- Used to describe an action or object that seems stupid or pointless by extension.
- It was a gormless plan that was doomed to fail from the start.
Variants and Related Words
- Gormlessly (adverb): In a stupid or foolish manner.
- He nodded gormlessly, not understanding a word.
- Gormlessness (noun): The quality or state of being gormless.
- His utter gormlessness in practical matters was astonishing.
Synonyms
- Dim-witted: Lacking intelligence.
- Dull: Slow to understand; not bright.
- Vacuous: Lacking ideas or intelligence.
- Obtuse: Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
- Simple-minded: Lacking subtlety or intelligence.
Antonyms
- Astute: Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations.
- Clever: Quick to understand, learn, and devise ideas.
- Perceptive: Having or showing sensitive insight.
- Shrewd: Having or showing sharp powers of judgment.
Notes on Usage
- Register: This word is primarily British informal slang. It is less common in formal American English, where words like "clueless" or "dense" might be used similarly.
- Connotation: The term is derogatory and insulting, though it can sometimes be used in a humorous or affectionate way among friends. It emphasizes a lack of basic awareness more than a lack of formal education.
Adjective
- (British informal) lacking intelligence and vitality