artless

[ahrt-lis]

adjective

1. free from deceit, cunning, or craftiness; ingenuous.

   an artless child.

   Synonyms: sincere, candid, unaffected, plain, frank, open, guileless, unsophisticated, naive
   Antonyms: cunning

2. not artificial; natural; simple; uncontrived.

   artless beauty; artless charm.

3. lacking art, knowledge, or skill.

4. poorly made; inartistic; clumsy; crude.

   an artless translation.

artless

/ ˈɑːtlɪs /

adjective

1. free from deceit, guile, or artfulness; ingenuous

   an artless remark

2. natural, without artifice; unpretentious

   artless elegance

3. without art or skill

Other Word Forms

• artlessness noun
• artlessly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of artless¹

First recorded in 1580–90; art ¹ + -less

Example Sentences

But Bruce Springsteen and the raw, stripped-down recordings of his 1982 “Nebraska” album seem earnestly in opposition to such artless gamesmanship.

From Los Angeles Times

Cluttered with crude “dad humor” cartoons, sappy inspirational wall hangings and peeling travel posters, these intimate spaces are often artless.

From Los Angeles Times

And yes, the current versions of this AI are dubious, unreliable and artless.

From Salon

The Met Gala is not a perfect establishment, but by refuting it entirely, its critics are no better than the artless, ahistorical fascists they purport to abhor.

From Salon

The music isn’t merely a distraction from the daily horrors; it’s Gaga’s way of confidently opposing the artless philistinism levied by the right wing’s frightening agenda.

From Salon