1
as in insanity
lack of good sense or judgment
his astounding feats of witlessness are the stuff of family legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thickness
the quality or state of lacking intelligence or quickness of mind
for sheer witlessness the movie's dialogue deserves some sort of award
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of witlessness
No, but the line captures the aristocracy’s witlessness.
—
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for witlessness
Noun
-
Andor connected with critics and audiences in part because its revolutionaries make cogent arguments over and over about the insanity of authoritarianism.—
-
After being wrongfully imprisoned in a mental asylum, an author is faced with a decision to surrender to insanity or fight for her sanity.—
Noun
-
In the United States, it is used in medical devices and measurement gauges, such as industrial devices that measure the thickness of materials.—
-
The team has developed a specific formula to calculate this relationship, allowing builders to determine the material’s strength based on the cardboard’s thickness.—
Noun
-
As betrayal and madness loom, Amanda is forced to confront her deepest fears and make an ultimate choice between freedom and acceptance.—
-
Speaking after the trial day on Monday night, Hinshaw expressed concern about his friend's fate but suggested there might be a method to the madness of Routh's unorthodox defense strategy.—
Noun
-
The unique blend adds a punch of additional tangy flavor that perfectly complements the creaminess and simplicity of basic egg salad.—
-
Clean lines, oversized custom windows, and an airy open-concept design create a modern elegance rooted in simplicity and natural light.—
Noun
-
The only reason for this incessant stupidity?—
-
Heck, maybe its sheer stupidity.—
Noun
-
Turn the absurdity up to 11 as well.—
-
As represented by Camus, absurdism emphasizes accepting the absurdity of life and finding joy without illusions, often through gallows humor.—
Noun
-
Yet for all of his stoned foolishness, Bob has clearly imparted a real distrust of authority to his kid.—
-
Not so much by her response as by my own foolishness.—
Noun
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Cite this Entry
“Witlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/witlessness. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share