clueless
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of clueless
Explanation
Someone is clueless if they have no idea what's happening. The unsuspecting victim of a practical joke is usually clueless right up until everyone starts laughing. You could reassure your brother that your mom has no idea you're planning a surprise party by saying, "Don't worry, she's totally clueless." Or you might worry that your friend failed the big geometry test, based on the clueless expression on his face during the exam. In the 1860s, clueless meant "leaving no clues behind," but by 1943 it gained its current meaning, which became even more popular as student slang in the 1980s.
Vocabulary lists containing clueless
"Two Left Feet, Two Left Hands, and Too Left on the Bench"
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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bailey has a wide-eyed clueless cuteness that lends to her character’s well-meaning naiveté — even her missteps have a way of working out.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
Banks are used to working with the surviving relatives, including those who are clueless or casually dressed.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
Head coach Stephane Auvray, 44, admits some were "a little clueless and naive" about the demands.
From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026
Physicians say they are often clueless about their own patients’ full list of treatments.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
They both have these expressions that look more clueless than menacing.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
