speechless Hear it!

speechless Definition

speech·less (spēc̸hlis)

adjective

  1. incapable of speech; lacking the ability to speak
  2. temporarily unable to speak; silent, as from shock
  3. not expressed or expressible in words speechless terror

speechless Related Forms

speech·lessly adverb speech·less·ness noun

speechless Synonyms

speechless

modif.

aphonic, inarticulate, voiceless, mum; see dumb 1, mute 1. See syn. study at dumb.

speechless Usage Examples

Preposition: with

  • amazement: Disco, speechless with amazement, rose up and sprang to the helm.
  • rage: The Turk was almost speechless with rage and expected me to buy a replacement.
  • astonishment: I'm quite speechless with astonishment ( and no small amount of delight ).
  • horror: CHAPTER X THE two boys flew on and on, toward the village, speechless with horror.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • leave: His no nonsense, high impact approach to Magic leaves any spectator speechless.
  • render: As well as rendering little girls speechless, it's a life saver for busy mums.

Modifying Another Word

  • almost: I cannot believe it, I am almost speechless.
  • absolutely: Every guest commented on how beautiful they looked and I was left absolutely speechless by the displays.
  • totally: I am totally speechless about the level of debt being piled on by people!
  • quite: I was quite speechless at this unusually brave behavior.
  • just: I didn't even expect to be a runner-up, so I was just speechless when I won first prize.
  • literally: This has the effect of knocking out one or more of those storyboard pictures and can make some people quite literally speechless.

Used with adjective complement

  • render: Thursday 18th May 2006 You could be rendered speechless.
  • stand: I stood speechless, my mouth open a little.
  • leave: On arrival, many guests are left speechless at the natural beauty of the location.
  • remain: While Barry Davies remained speechless, the RSPB switchboard went into meltdown.
  • become: On the tenth, in the morning, had become speechless; great coldness; acute fever; much perspiration; he died.
  • strike: Struck speechless first by my relief, I continued silent from a very different cause.

Modifies a noun

  • totaly: A Customer from liverpool england, 8th November, 2004 im speechless totaly lost for words BE WARNED... ... ... ...
  • awe: Nonetheless, faith likes to grab a hold of these mind-boggling images as an expression of that speechless awe.