What does “-less” mean at the end of a word?

The suffix “-less” usually means “without,” “lacking,” or “free from” something. For example, fearless means “without fear,” while painless means “without pain.”

Is “-less” a prefix or a suffix?

“-Less” is a suffix because it appears at the end of a base word. A prefix appears at the beginning of a word, while a suffix appears at the end.

Are all words ending in less negative?

No. Some describe positive qualities: fearless means brave, selfless means caring about others, and flawless means perfect. Others, such as careless , heartless , and hopeless , are clearly negative.

What are some positive words ending in “-less”?

Positive examples include fearless , selfless , flawless , tireless , effortless , priceless , timeless , and limitless . They describe courage, kindness, beauty, value, or strong effort.

Are words ending in less always adjectives?

Almost always. Words like fearless (a fearless leader), wireless (a wireless device), and hopeless (a hopeless situation) describe nouns, so they are adjectives. Add “-ly” to make an adverb: carelessly , endlessly .

What is the difference between “-less” and “-ful”?

“-Less” means “without,” while “-ful” means “full of” or “having.” Many base words take both: careful and careless , hopeful and hopeless . Not every pair exists, though. We say countless , but never “countful.” See our list of words ending in ful .

Word Games Pro Dictionary

excel

verb

Distinguish oneself

Quick reference

Word Facts

Word length: 5
Starts with: E
Ends with: L
Contains: XC
Scrabble score: 14
CEFR level: B2

How it sounds

Pronunciation

ɪkˈsɛl

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Meaning

Definitions

verb

Distinguish oneself
“She excelled in math”

In context

Example Sentences

She excelled in math

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Check yourself

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