Word
nameless
Phoneticsname·less, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈneɪmɫəs/
UK/nˈeɪmləs/
Definitions
01without a name
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not having a name, or having a name that is not known.
adj. lacking a specific name or having an identity that remains unidentified or obscured.
“The hikers found a nameless stream deep in the woods.”
“The charity provides a dignified burial for the nameless victims of the disaster whose families could not be located.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02too strange to describe
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. a feeling or thing that is so unusual or scary that you cannot describe it with words.
adj. inexpressible or unable to be described, often used to convey a sense of dread or profound mystery.
“She felt a nameless fear as she walked through the empty house.”
“The protagonist was overcome by a nameless dread, a sensation that defied logical explanation or linguistic categorization.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03not famous
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. not well-known or not having a famous reputation.
adj. obscure or lacking a public reputation; not having achieved fame or distinction.
“He was just a nameless clerk working in a giant office building.”
“The poet died a nameless wanderer, only achieving international acclaim decades after his passing.”
04born outside of marriage
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
adj. an old-fashioned way to describe a child whose parents were not married.
adj. denoting a person born out of wedlock; illegitimate.
“In the old novel, the hero was a nameless child left at the church.”
“The legal dispute centered on the inheritance rights of a nameless heir whose parentage was kept secret for decades.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“M is also, in the words of the nameless and genderless narrator of Life of M, “a good sport”.” “SignalTrace may begin with a nameless pattern, but its value comes from recognizing that pattern again and connecting it to information that police already possess.” Etymology
From Middle English nameles, equivalent to name + -less. Cognate with Dutch naamloos (“nameless”), German namenlos (“nameless”), Danish navnløs (“nameless”), Swedish namnlös (“nameless”), Icelandic nafnlaus (“nameless, anonymous”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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