songless

American  

[sawng-lis, song-] / ˈsɔŋ lɪs, ˈsɒŋ- /

adjective

1. devoid of song; lacking the power of a song, as a bird.

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Other Word Forms

• songlessly adverb
• songlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of songless

First recorded in 1795–1805; song + -less

Example Sentences

In an article in The Times, John S. Wilson wrote, “The tight Bacharachian rhythmic patterns keep bouncing around in your head as you walk into the night, songless but pulsing with a busy little beat.”

From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2023

And if “all art constantly aspires toward the condition of music,” as Walter Pater wrote, what can poor songless plays hope to achieve?

From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2022

"While there are some spectacular fight sequences with a large - but totally bloodless - death toll, there is a distinct lack of humour in this version, making it both songless and smileless," she said.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2020

I went to the ever-trusty, ever-free Internet Archive, meanwhile, to find Garland’s first wholly songless dramatic performance.

From The Guardian • Oct. 5, 2019

O, many a tuneful tongue that thou madest vocal Would lie cold and silent then; And songless long once more, should often-widowed Erin Mourn the loss of her brave young men.

From A Book of Irish Verse Selected from modern writers with an introduction and notes by W. B. Yeats by Yeats, W. B. (William Butler)