Standard Lemma guide

senselessly

adv · 3 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

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1

adv

Meaning 1

In a senseless manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in an unreasonably senseless manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • these temples were mindlessly destroyed by the Red Guards

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mindlessly

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in a meaningless and purposeless manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • these innocent bystanders were senselessly killed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sent-der. Proto-Italic *sentiō Latin sentiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin sēnsusbor. Proto-Germanic *sinnaz Frankish *sinnbor. Vulgar Latin *sennus Old French sensbor. Middle English sense English sense Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English senseless Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English senselessly From senseless + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: sensence — in a senseless manner
  • Finnish: tunnottomasti — in a senseless manner
  • Finnish: järjettömästi — in a senseless manner
  • Finnish: mielettömästi — in a senseless manner
  • Finnish: älyttömästi — in a senseless manner
  • Hungarian: értelmetlenül — in a senseless manner