ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shirtless

adj.
B1 Intermediate UK //ʃˈɜːtləs// shirt·less

adj. not wearing a shirt or any clothing on the top half of the body.

adj. lacking a shirt or upper-body covering. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain'.


SIMPLE

He is shirtless because it is very hot outside.

CONTEXTUAL

The lifeguard spent the entire afternoon shirtless while watching the swimmers at the crowded beach.

COMPLEX

The actor appeared shirtless in several scenes to emphasize the physical transformation he underwent for the role, showcasing a level of fitness that required months of strict dieting.

Origin

From shirt + -less.

Usage

Typically used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb, though it can also appear attributively before a noun.

Idioms1 entry

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