adj B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

lifeless

LYF-luhs

Lifeless (adj) means Dead, or showing no signs of life. Example: “Rescuers pulled a lifeless body from the wreckage.”

adj

Dead, or showing no signs of life.

"Rescuers pulled a lifeless body from the wreckage."

"The garden looked lifeless after the frost."

Dull, flat, or lacking energy and vitality.

"The actor gave a strangely lifeless performance."

How to use lifeless

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWithout life — either literally dead, or figuratively dull and flat.

Common pairings

a lifeless body lifeless performance lifeless landscape

more lifeless comparative, most lifeless superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

Rescuers pulled a _____ body from the wreckage.

From Old English liflaes, formed from life + the suffix -less ("without").

Origin: Old English

useless ageless wireless hopeless homeless tireless careless baseless clueless timeless loveless nameless

What does “lifeless” mean?

The word “lifeless” means dead, or showing no signs of life. In plain terms, without life — either literally dead, or figuratively dull and flat.

How do you pronounce “lifeless”?

“Lifeless” is pronounced LYF-luhs (/ˈlaɪfləs/ in IPA).

How do you use “lifeless” in a sentence?

Here is “lifeless” used in a sentence: “Rescuers pulled a lifeless body from the wreckage.”

What part of speech is “lifeless”?

“Lifeless” is an adjective.

Where does the word “lifeless” come from?

The word “lifeless” comes from Old English. From Old English liflaes, formed from life + the suffix -less ("without").

Is “lifeless” a common word?

“Lifeless” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “lifeless” have?

“Lifeless” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: dead, or showing no signs of life.