speechless
Americanadjective
-
temporarily deprived of speech by strong emotion, physical weakness, exhaustion, etc..
speechless with alarm.
- Synonyms:
- mute
- Antonyms:
- talkative, voluble, loquacious
-
characterized by absence or loss of speech.
speechless joy.
- Antonyms:
- talkative, voluble, loquacious
-
lacking the faculty of speech; dumb.
- Antonyms:
- talkative, voluble, loquacious
-
not expressed in speech or words.
speechless compliments.
-
refraining from speech.
adjective
-
not able to speak
-
temporarily deprived of speech
-
not expressed or able to be expressed in words
speechless fear
Other Word Forms
- speechlessly adverb
- speechlessness noun
Etymology
Origin of speechless
before 1000; Middle English specheles, Old English spǣclēas. See speech, -less
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.
It meant that the musk ox was stunned and speechless . . . for a few seconds anyway, until he found his voice again.
From Literature
I held out both hands and stood speechless while he stacked the money into my trembling hands.
From Literature
Then he shut the door in my speechless face.
From Literature
"I never thought I could be shocked by anything anymore, but I was shocked at your case - it left me speechless."
From BBC
“To be honest I’m speechless after that fight,” said the two-time Dubai champion, who needed six match points to close out the win.
From Barron's
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.
