| English Dictionary |
ARTLESS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Dictionary entry overview: What does artless mean?
• ARTLESS (adjective)
The adjective ARTLESS has 4 senses:
1. characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
2. simple and natural; without cunning or deceit
3. showing lack of art
4. (of persons) lacking art or knowledge
Familiarity information: ARTLESS used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
Synonyms:
artless; ingenuous
Context example:
an ingenuous admission of responsibility
Similar:
candid; heart-to-heart; open (openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness)
undistorted (without alteration or misrepresentation)
Also:
sincere (open and genuine; not deceitful)
naif; naive (marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience)
Derivation:
artlessness (the quality of innocent naivete)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Simple and natural; without cunning or deceit
Context example:
artless elegance
Similar:
careless (effortless and unstudied)
Also:
natural (in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature)
Antonym:
artful (marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft)
Derivation:
artlessness (ingenuousness by virtue of being free from artful deceit)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Showing lack of art
Context example:
an artless translation
Similar:
unskilled (not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency)
Sense 4
Meaning:
(of persons) lacking art or knowledge
Synonyms:
artless; uncultivated; uncultured
Similar:
unrefined ((used of persons and their behavior) not refined; uncouth)
Context examples
Open, candid, artless, guileless, with affections strong but simple, forming no pretensions, and knowing no disguise.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
The next morning brought another short note from Marianne—still affectionate, open, artless, confiding—everything that could make MY conduct most hateful.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
"I kissed her," began Demi, with artless frankness.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
How lovingly and fervently did it commend the pretty creature I had won, with all her artless graces best displayed, to my most gentle care!
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Warmed by the sight of such a friend to her son, and regulated by the wish of appearing to advantage before him, she was overflowing with gratitude—artless, maternal gratitude—which could not be unpleasing.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
An unpretending, single-minded, artless girl—infinitely to be preferred by any man of sense and taste to such a woman as Mrs. Elton.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
I may not have used it to the best account; I was young and inexperienced; but I never turned a deaf ear to its artless pleading.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
“How well your brother dances!” was an artless exclamation of Catherine's towards the close of their conversation, which at once surprised and amused her companion.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
Her tears fell abundantly—but her grief was so truly artless, that no dignity could have made it more respectable in Emma's eyes—and she listened to her and tried to console her with all her heart and understanding—really for the time convinced that Harriet was the superior creature of the two—and that to resemble her would be more for her own welfare and happiness than all that genius or intelligence could do.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
But, dear heart, we all have our little weaknesses, and find it easy to pardon such in the young, who satisfy our eyes with their comeliness, and keep our hearts merry with their artless vanities.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
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