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.
The fossil examined in the study, collected during a 2011 expedition by the Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project, was found encased in rock that dated back 68.4 to 69.2 million years and displayed modern characteristics, such as a toothless beak, according to the study. Katie Hunt, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025 San Jose leaders have finally had enough and are eyeing policy reforms to tackle one of its most visible blight offenders, from exploring a potential cart retrieval program to changing the toothless city code to chip away at the problem and recover costs. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025 But as writers, Basden and Key avoid toothless syrupy sentiments all the same, and handle the melancholic resolution of Herb and Nell’s story in a masterful and realistic way that rings true to the heart. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025 That much is evident when Janice (Aida Turturro) visits and informs the sad, toothless old man that Bobby (Steve Schirripa) is dead. Will Harris, EW.com, 23 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

Dictionary Entries Near toothless

Cite this Entry

“Toothless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothless. Accessed 16 Feb. 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!