mindless

adjective

mind·​less ˈmīn(d)-ləs How to pronounce mindless (audio)
1
a
: marked by a lack of mind or consciousness
a mindless sleep
b(1)
: marked by or displaying no use of the powers of the intellect
mindless violence
(2)
: requiring little attention or thought
especially : not intellectually challenging or stimulating
mindless work
a mindless movie
2
: not mindful : heedless
mindless of the consequences
mindlessly adverb
mindlessness noun

Examples of mindless in a Sentence

The article was a mindless piece of nonsense. The movie has been criticized for its mindless violence. a mindless waste of time He seemed to be completely mindless of the danger he was facing. She was mindless of her appearance.
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 Luddites weren’t mindless opponents of technology but had a clear logic to their actions—an essentially conservative one. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 Over time, this awareness builds trust with your body, supports better digestion, and reduces mindless eating. Lindsey Desoto, Rd, Ld, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2025 While Drop, clocking in at an economical 93 minutes, may sound like fun and games, there’s something deeper and more human at its core than mindless nonsense. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Apr. 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 See All Example Sentences for mindless

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mindless was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Mindless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mindless. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

mindless

adjective
mind·​less ˈmīn-(d)ləs How to pronounce mindless (audio)
1
a
: lacking the ability to think, feel, or respond
a mindless killer
b
: showing no use of the intelligence
mindless violence
2
: not mindful
mindlessly adverb
mindlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on mindless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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