senseless

adjective

sense·​less ˈsen(t)s-ləs 

: destitute of, deficient in, or contrary to sense: such as

a

: unconscious

knocked senseless

b

: foolish, stupid

it was some senseless practical joke

—A. Conan Doyle

c

: meaningless

a senseless murder

senselessly adverb

senselessness noun

Synonyms

• cold
• insensible
• unconscious

Examples of senseless in a Sentence

Don't be such a senseless idiot!

she collapsed, senseless, after hitting her head

Recent Examples on the Web

The ultimate in senseless crime: murder by mistake. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025

That’s how a video game rife with mindless violence provided a kind of refuge—and turned out to be an apt and very funny location for the senseless bloodshed of the Bard’s most famous of tragedies. —Vogue, 14 Mar. 2025

How else can people find security and reassurance in this senseless world? —Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025

But, alas, the senseless ravages of CIS have claimed yet another innocent victim. —Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for senseless

• defenseless

Kids Definition

senseless

adjective

sense·​less ˈsen(t)-sləs 

1

: unconscious entry 1 sense 2

knocked senseless

2

: foolish, stupid

3

: pointless sense 1, meaningless

a senseless act

senselessly adverb

senselessness noun