rudderless

[ ruhd-er-lis ]

adjective

1. (of a boat, ship, or aircraft) lacking a rudder, the device or structure used to change direction and steer:

   I love the story of Columba, a priest in sixth-century Ireland, who got into a rudderless boat and let God and providence take him where he was meant to be.

2. lacking purpose, leadership, moral principles, or anything else that might provide direction; aimless:

   The people are drifting and rudderless, without a vision to unify and motivate them and without a shared set of values.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rudderless¹

rudder ( def ) + -less ( def )

Example Sentences

But behind the complex political wrangling, Europe’s most powerful economy has been left rudderless, at a time when economic growth has stalled and EU leaders are nervous about an impending Trump presidency.

From BBC

“I was possessed by the idea and the inspiration for so long, it was so clear and important and the center of my creative life for years. Letting go of an intense project like that can be a little rudderless, a little unmoored.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Club Random” announces its rudderless nature in its title, and whether that works for Maher depends on who’s dropping by.

From Salon

“When these rudderless movements happen, you’re gonna have property destruction, vandalism. That’s the natural course of occupations these days.”

From Los Angeles Times

She said there were more than 30 email or Microsoft Teams exchanges in December and January 2023 concerning Mr Read's pay, one of which asked "can the business afford to be rudderless"?

From BBC