British English Slang – Gormless.
Meaning (adjective) – Stupid, foolish or clueless. Someone who seems to lack common sense or doesn’t understand what’s going on.
It’s mildly offensive – nobody likes being called gormless! You can look gormless (“He had a gormless expression on his face”) or act gormless. The word comes from an old dialect word, gaum or gorm, meaning attention or understanding – so being “gorm-less” means having none!
Similar Slang:
- Daft (adjective) – silly or foolish.
- Twit (noun) – a silly person.
- Numpty (noun) – a silly person.
- A few sandwiches short of a picnic (idiom) – not very clever.
- Lose your marbles (idiom) – go a bit crazy.
Example:
- “He stood there with a gormless look on his face while the bus drove off without him.”
Learn More
Look it upGormlessWiktionaryWhat is slang?
Slang is very informal language. It’s usually spoken rather than written, and is often used by a particular group of people or in a particular place. Slang changes over time, and using it well is a great way to sound more natural when speaking English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stupid, foolish or clueless. It is British slang and mildly offensive.
From an old dialect word, “gaum” or “gorm”, meaning attention or understanding.
Test Yourself
What is FunkyEnglish?
FunkyEnglish is a website that helps you improve your English. We offer quick lessons that teach idioms, slang, phrasal verbs and more. Visit our homepage to see our latest articles, or use the menu to find specific content!
