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characterless

characterless

1 5.8
Having nothing special or interesting
  • adjective
  • /ˈkɛrɪktərləs/
translation icon : sin carácter
  • For a thousand feet around, the air stank with a characterless blend of cigarette smoke, food, and human presence that might as well have been downtown New York.
  • characterless apartment
  • characterless building
  • characterless place

The chorus is to some degree characterless, although sometimes they're named as such, right?

Examples

  • On the other hand, we were less impressed with its characterless handling and newbie-oriented user interface.

    Blog text (24)
  • They were a bunch of nameless, characterless people who were bogging things down.

    Blog text (1)
  • I have known characterless lowlifes like him all my life.

    Blog text (5)
  • She looks around the bar, a rather characterless, low-lit meeting place for business people.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • It was a plain, tidy, characterless bedroom.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • She's looking around at her new home: a hopelessly drab, characterless apartment.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Ira took Highway 71 out to Whispering Birch Estates, the vast, characterless Levittown knock-off where the Fontenots now lived.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Maggie feels as though she is living in a characterless city with no unique features.

  • She's looking around at her new home: a characterless apartment that lacks charm.

  • The vast, characterless suburb is filled with identical houses that all look the same.

Synonyms

dry
vscharacterless
45 4.6

Quiet, calm humor that shows little emotion

is about lacking distinctive or individual qualities overall not just tone
faceless
vscharacterless
38 5.9

A person or place with no features that make it stand out

focuses less on identity and more on overall dullness
bland
vscharacterless
31 2.8

A thing that has no strong character and few interesting features

means dull from lack of distinct personal or unique quality
lackluster
vscharacterless
  • US
30 6.1

Dull and showing little energy

names lack of distinctive personality rather than only low energy
sterile
vscharacterless
23 6.2

Not showing new ideas or creative thinking

is about absence of distinguishing personal or stylistic qualities
uninteresting
vscharacterless
20 1.4

Not exciting and likely to make people bored

emphasizes missing unique traits rather than only boredom
lifeless
vscharacterless
19 3.6

Without energy or interest and making people feel bored

is about lacking unique or individual qualities not only motion
insipid
vscharacterless
17 7.3

Having little taste and being boring

applies more to missing distinctive qualities rather than taste only
nondescript
vscharacterless
17 7.1

Not having special or interesting features so it does not stand out

is broader describing lack of any individual distinctive quality
unattractive
vscharacterless
16 2.5

Not interesting or likely to make people want it

describes lack of distinctive qualities generally rather than only looks
vapid
vscharacterless
16 7.9

Not interesting or lively and often boring

is similar but centers on missing individuality and distinct traits
uninspired
vscharacterless
14 4.0

Not having new or interesting ideas

refers more to missing individual qualities rather than only creative lack
one-dimensional
vscharacterless
  • Offensive
13 4.8

Simple and not deep or complex

is narrower naming lack of individual variety rather than only depth
prosaic
vscharacterless
8 7.9

Ordinary and dull without imagination or excitement

targets absence of individual distinctiveness rather than only plainness
featureless
vscharacterless
8 5.8

A place or thing that has no clear details

describes lack of individuality rather than mere physical parts
uninspiring
vscharacterless
7 3.5

Not interesting or exciting

is broader covering lack of character as well as dullness
vacuous
vscharacterless
  • Formal
5 8.1

Having no real meaning or importance

focuses on lack of distinct character rather than emptiness alone
colorless
vscharacterless
  • US
4 3.9

Not interesting or exciting

highlights absence of individual features rather than just muted tone
charmless
vscharacterless
2 4.2

Not pleasant or attractive

points to missing distinctiveness rather than only social appeal
unmemorable
vscharacterless
1 5.3

Not easy to remember or notice later

stresses missing distinctive qualities that make something stand out
undramatic
vscharacterless
1 4.2

Having no strong emotion and not exciting

emphasizes missing unique qualities rather than low drama alone
lusterless
vscharacterless
  • US
1 7.2

Not shiny and showing little energy or life

focuses on absence of unique character rather than physical dullness
unanimated
vscharacterless
1 7.6

Something that is not lively and seems dull and without energy

focuses on missing distinctive personality rather than simple low energy
pictureless
vscharacterless
1 6.5

Looks plain and not attractive

is about missing distinctive qualities beyond visual unattractiveness
styleless
vscharacterless
1 6.0

Having a plain look that is not fashionable

refers to absence of distinctive qualities beyond mere fashion
typeless
vscharacterless
7.5

Not having a strong style or special features and seeming bland

is about lacking individuality beyond mere absence of style
juiceless
vscharacterless
7.2

Dull and showing little energy or interest

points more to missing distinctive traits rather than mere dryness
bidimensional
vscharacterless
  • Literature
8.3

Simple and not interesting or deep, often about a character

focuses on missing individuality rather than just shallow depth
unstirring
vscharacterless
7.2

Not causing strong feelings or interest

is more about lacking distinctive character than mere calmness
sauceless
vscharacterless
  • Archaic
9.9

Not bold or lively in behavior

means lacking distinctive qualities generally rather than only boldness
saltless
vscharacterless
  • Archaic
6.6

Boring and not interesting or exciting

is broader referring to missing distinctive personal qualities not just wit
glamourless
vscharacterless
5.5

Looks plain and not attractive or exciting

focuses on absence of unique character not merely glamour

Antonyms

104 3.9

Has a clear look or sound that makes it different from others

How Characterful

characterful
1 6.1
ordinary
683 1.0
plain
208 1.0
characterless
1 5.8

Surface Forms

characterless positive

Morphology

characterless = character (transparent) = character + less

The adjective is directly formed from 'character' + '-less', meaning 'without distinctive qualities', which is readily deducible by learners.

Etymology

Characterless comes from character, a word that once meant a 'stamp' or mark showing what makes someone special, plus the ending -less, which means 'without'. So characterless literally means 'without a mark' and is used for people or things that have no strong personality or are dull and forgettable.