1
as in silent
deliberately refraining from speech
he remained speechless, even in the face of outrageous accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mute
unable to speak
if only this poor, speechless animal could tell us what's wrong with it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of speechless
My sister immediately gave me a bearhug and my mama was legitimately speechless, but the most powerful reaction came from my father.
—
James Boyd, The Indianapolis Star, 29 July 2022
Jose was nearly speechless as he was handed the microphone to say a few words.
—Olivia Lloyd, Sun Sentinel, 21 July 2022
Mobile Christian baseball coach Talley Haines was nearly speechless when asked Tuesday night to recap Game 1 of the Class 4A state championship series.
—Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 17 May 2022
Moments later, Will, 53, walked onstage and struck Chris, who was initially speechless.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 5 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for speechless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for speechless
Adjective
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As Jaclyn and Kate wax poetic about a dream vacation that never happened, Laurie’s weary, silent glances seem to tee up an explosive confrontation.—
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Tisdale refused to stay silent, and texted the group after being left behind on another plan.—
Adjective
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When Hall proves too mute to debate, Kiritsis vents to a radio disc jockey named Fred (Colman Domingo), even though Fred is more interested in smooth tunes than hard news.—
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Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.—
Adjective
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People often make the mistake of going with a bright white paint color to balance out a room’s cool feel and muted light, but opting for a warm neutral is more effective for creating an inviting space.—
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Color choices mimic those of the terrain, all soft greens, light grays, and muted taupes.—
Cite this Entry
“Speechless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/speechless. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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