1
: having no teeth
2
a
: lacking in sharpness or bite
spoke in toothless generalities—
Arthur Hepner
Arthur Hepner
b
: lacking in means of enforcement or coercion : ineffectual
Examples of toothless in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For all the valorization of courage, the show’s reluctance to tackle harder issues head-on feels rather toothless.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
But advocates say the legislation, passed with heavy input from cruise-industry lobbyists, is essentially toothless.
—Bridget Read, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
Leicester, though largely toothless, were restricted to only one shot on target.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Sandler makes a decent Dracula and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast, but there’s something toothless about the entire endeavor.
—Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toothless 
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Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
But advocates say the legislation, passed with heavy input from cruise-industry lobbyists, is essentially toothless.
—Bridget Read, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
Leicester, though largely toothless, were restricted to only one shot on target.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Sandler makes a decent Dracula and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast, but there’s something toothless about the entire endeavor.
—Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for toothless
Dictionary Entries Near toothless
Cite this Entry
“Toothless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothless. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
toothless
adjective
tooth·less
ˈtüth-ləs 
: having no teeth
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