Standard Lemma guide

aimlessly

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈeɪmləsli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: EY1 M L AH0 S L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Without an aim, purpose or direction; in an aimless manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He wandered aimlessly through the crowd.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

without aim; in an aimless manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he wandered around aimlessly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English aimless Middle English -ly English -ly English aimlessly From aimless + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: bezcílně — without an aim
  • Dutch: doelloos — without an aim
  • Esperanto: sencele — without an aim
  • Finnish: ympäri ämpäri — without an aim
  • French: sans but — without an aim
  • French: au hasard — without an aim
  • German: ziellos — without an aim
  • Hungarian: céltalanul — without an aim
  • Italian: senza meta — without an aim
  • Polish: bezcelowo — without an aim
  • Polish: bezprzedmiotowo — without an aim
  • Portuguese: sem rumo — without an aim
  • Portuguese: à toa — without an aim
  • Romanian: fără țintă — without an aim
  • Romanian: la întâmplare — without an aim
  • Russian: бесце́льно (bescélʹno) — without an aim
  • Spanish: sin rumbo — without an aim
  • Spanish: sin objeto — without an aim
  • Spanish: sin objetivo — without an aim
  • Spanish: sin propósito — without an aim
  • Spanish: sin rumbo fijo — without an aim
  • Turkish: amaçsızca — without an aim
  • Turkish: amaçsızcasına — without an aim