lightless

lightless — adjective

  • lightlesspositive
  • more lightlesscomparative
  • most lightlesssuperlative

1. completely dark because no light reaches the place or area being described.

1.形容詞C1
釋義

completely dark because no light reaches the place or area being described.

例句

The prisoners were kept in a lightless cell for several days.

collocation: lightless cell

Jude stumbled through the lightless hallway, searching for the exit.

collocation: lightless hallway

同義詞
  • dark

    more common and general; less dramatic in tone

  • unlit

    very similar meaning; often used for rooms or streets

  • pitch-black

    more informal and emphatic; describes total darkness

反義詞

用法筆記

Often used in literary or dramatic contexts to describe enclosed spaces such as cells, basements, caves, or corridors. Less common in everyday conversation, where 'dark' or 'pitch-black' is preferred.

常見錯誤

The room was lightless even with the lamp on.
The room was dim even with the lamp on.
💡'lightless' means completely without light, not just poorly lit.

2. describes an object that normally produces or reflects light but currently does

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describes an object that normally produces or reflects light but currently does not shine or emit any light.

例句

The moon was lightless on the night of the storm.

collocation: lightless moon

Adisa held the lightless lantern, its wick burned down to nothing.

同義詞
  • dim

    less extreme — means giving very little light, not none

  • non-luminous

    more technical or scientific; rarely used in everyday language

  • extinguished

    specifically for flames or lanterns that have been put out

反義詞
  • luminous

    giving out light; the direct opposite

  • shining

    giving out a steady light

  • glowing

    giving out a warm, soft light

用法筆記

Used for things that are expected to produce light — such as the moon, stars, lamps, or lighthouses — but are not shining. The word implies a contrast between what the object normally does and its current state.

常見錯誤

The stone was lightless.
The stone was dark.
💡A stone is not expected to give light, so 'lightless' sounds odd. Reserve 'lightless' for objects that normally shine.