Standard Lemma guide

tactless

adj · 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

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.

  • US: /ˈtæktləs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æktləs
  • CMU ARPABET: T AE1 K T L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

having no tact; unaware or intentionally inconsiderate of someone else's feelings

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It was tactless of you not to attend your sister's wedding.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • in the circumstances it was tactless to ask her age

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: untactful

Antonyms: tactful

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

revealing lack of perceptiveness or judgment or finesse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an inept remark
  • it was tactless to bring up those disagreeable

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inept

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English tact 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 tactless From tact + -less.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: taktloos — without tact
  • Catalan: indiscret — without tact
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不知分寸的 (bùzhīfēncùn de) — without tact
  • Czech: netaktní — without tact
  • Danish: taktløs — without tact
  • Dutch: tactloos — without tact
  • Finnish: tahditon — without tact
  • German: taktlos — without tact
  • Hungarian: tapintatlan — without tact
  • Ingrian: nenätöin — without tact
  • Irish: místuama — without tact
  • Norwegian Bokmål: taktløs — without tact
  • Portuguese: seco — without tact
  • Russian: нетакти́чный (netaktíčnyj) — without tact
  • Russian: беста́ктный (bestáktnyj) — without tact
  • Spanish: indiscreto — without tact
  • Spanish: poco delicado — without tact
  • Spanish: desatinado — without tact
  • Spanish: falto de tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: poco diplomático — without tact
  • Spanish: sin gracia — without tact
  • Spanish: de poco tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: con poco tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: tener poco tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: sin tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: sin mucho tacto — without tact
  • Spanish: no tener mucho tacto — without tact