mindless

adjective

mind·​less ˈmīn(d)-ləs 

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

Synonyms

• airheaded
• birdbrained
• bonehead
• boneheaded
• brain-dead
• brainless
• bubbleheaded
• chuckleheaded
• dense
• dim
• dim-witted
• doltish
• dopey
• dopy
• dorky [slang]
• dull
• dumb
• dunderheaded
• empty-headed
• fatuous
• gormless [chiefly British]
• half-witted
• knuckleheaded
• lamebrain
• lamebrained
• lunkheaded
• oafish
• obtuse
• opaque
• pinheaded
• senseless
• simple
• slow
• slow-witted
• soft
• softheaded
• stupid
• thick
• thick-witted
• thickheaded
• unintelligent
• unsmart
• vacuous
• weak-minded
• witless

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

Leaders can break free from the trap of mindless productivity by making these connections. —Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025

The result is both tedious and repellent, a shame given how much mindless fun Prime Target might otherwise have been. —Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025

In each instance, Hartman and Hooks play the Trumps as apathetic tyrants of capitalistic materialism, using both as stand-ins to ridicule the mindless excess of the period. —Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025

With no goal beyond experiencing sensation, sensate focus breaks mindless patterns and reawakens presence in the relationship. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

mindless

adjective

mind·​less ˈmīn-(d)ləs 

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