# nameless

/ˈneɪmɫəs/ (US) · /nˈeɪmləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nameless
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. without a name

adjective · CEFR B2

not having a name, or having a name that is not known.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. too strange to describe

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

a feeling or thing that is so unusual or scary that you cannot describe it with words.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. not famous

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

not well-known or not having a famous reputation.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. born outside of marriage

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old-fashioned way to describe a child whose parents were not married.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The hero was a nameless soldier from the village.
- The author received a large donation from a nameless benefactor who wished to remain anonymous.
- As she walked through the abandoned house, a nameless dread began to settle in her chest, though she could see nothing out of the ordinary.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.