toothless

adjective

tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
1
: having no teeth
2
a
: lacking in sharpness or bite
spoke in toothless generalitiesArthur Hepner
b
: lacking in means of enforcement or coercion : ineffectual

Examples of toothless in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Whether the bureau is rendered toothless by its new leadership or abolished by congressional action, its emergence as a target for conservative ire has been years in the making, boosted most recently by technology executives including Elon Musk and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2025 Outgoing president Biden gives toothless endorsement of the Equal Rights Amendment. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2025 Shah's visits to Brisbane and Lausanne have been splashed around social media channels as Shah makes his first steps in shaking up an ICC board that has long been derided as toothless. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025 The fossil examined in the study, collected during a 2011 expedition by the Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project, was found encased in rock that dated back 68.4 to 69.2 million years and displayed modern characteristics, such as a toothless beak, according to the study. Katie Hunt, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for toothless 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toothless was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near toothless

Cite this Entry

“Toothless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothless. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

Medical Definition

toothless

adjective
tooth·​less ˈtüth-ləs How to pronounce toothless (audio)
: having no teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on toothless

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