designlessadj.
/dᵻˈzʌɪnlᵻs/, U.S. /dəˈzaɪnlᵻs/, /diˈzaɪnlᵻs/ Lacking a design or plan; lacking purpose or intention.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > intention > unintentional or unplanned character > [adjective] > unintentional or involuntary > aimless
purposeless1552
aimless1583
wayless1605
shapelessa1616
designless1649
scopeless1666
unmeaning1680
objectless1797
motiveless1798
purportless1802
driftless1806
adrift1818
unpurpose-like1825
unpurposed1827
goalless1828
nothingarian1859
1649 H. Hammond Christians Obligations vii. 170 That..designlesse love of sinning.
a1691 R. Boyle Gen. Hist. Air (1692) xii. 65 These Wounds must have been made by some designless Agent.
1780 T. Sheridan Gen. Dict. Eng. Lang. I Designless, unknowing, inadvertent.
1828 B. F. Powell Bible of Reason iii. 44 The contrivances of art are, at most, but a faint effort to imitate designless Nature.
1883 R. Jefferies Story Heart 59 The designless, formless chaos of chance-directed matter.
1919 E. F. Benson Across Stream vii. 182 She seemed the most designless..girl in London.
1940 Jrnl. Land & Public Utility Econ. 16 139/1 Small park areas and replanted strips that seemed to be completely designless from the air.
2009 Guardian (Nexis) 19 Oct. (Features section) 22 The sounds and images are looped and repetitive, designed to look as designless and generic as possible.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1649