clueless

adjective

clue·​less ˈklü-ləs How to pronounce clueless (audio)
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

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
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.
Meanwhile, Wai, who has a full-time job, proves typically clueless — grudgingly offering the barest of help with parenting and disparaging her desire to keep working. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024 The chimp could be clueless and content; the dog could be wild with grief. Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024 But YouTube execs are clueless to their own audience and don't know its value. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2024 Neeson plays clueless police detective Frank Drebin Jr. in the fourth and final installment in the crime-spoof comedy franchise — slated for an August 2025 release — with Anderson as his love interest. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for clueless 

Word History

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clueless was in 1743

Dictionary Entries Near clueless

Cite this Entry

“Clueless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clueless. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

clueless

adjective
clue·​less ˈklü-ləs How to pronounce clueless (audio)
: having or providing no clue
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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