clueless

adjective

clue·​less ˈklü-ləs 

1

: having or providing no clue

a clueless case for the police to solve

2

: completely or hopelessly bewildered, unaware, ignorant, or foolish

clueless about what they want

cluelessly adverb

I played dumb. I have arrived at a point in my life where I can perform this stunt with aplomb. "What do you mean?" I asked, as cluelessly as I knew how.

—Steve Friedman

cluelessness noun

Mowrey is also trying to make a deer hunter of Bentley, whose cluelessness as an outdoors-man is a rich source of amusement to his country-boy crony.

—Austin Murphy

Synonyms

• ignorant
• incognizant
• innocent
• insensible
• nescient
• oblivious
• unacquainted
• unaware
• unconscious
• uninformed
• unknowing
• unmindful
• unwitting

Examples of clueless in a Sentence

When it comes to computers, I'm clueless.

They were clueless about what to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

Cast member Marcello Hernández played Don Francisco in the Dec. 21 episode’s Sábado Gigante Christmas Special sketch, also starring guest Paul Rudd as a clueless audience member who doesn’t speak Spanish yet finds himself on the Sábado Gigante stage. —Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 22 Dec. 2024

This farce is brought to you by clueless NCAA and college athletic administrators who have severely damaged the enjoyment and credibility of college football. —Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024

Like clueless Bannister before him, Monty needs to put Bolduc in the top 6. —Jeremy Rutherford, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024

Bayern dominated a Leipzig side that looked clueless throughout the entire 90 minutes in every aspect. —Manuel Veth, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

clueless

adjective

clue·​less ˈklü-ləs 

: having or providing no clue