shirtless

shirtless — adjective

1. wearing no clothing on the upper body, so the chest, shoulders, and arms are bar

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

wearing no clothing on the upper body, so the chest, shoulders, and arms are bare

Example

Christopher went for a jog along the beach, shirtless in the summer heat.

shirtless used as a subject complement after a comma

When the air conditioner broke, the men in the warehouse worked shirtless all afternoon.

post-verb position: work + shirtless

Common collocations
  • go shirtless
  • work shirtless
  • shirtless man
  • shirtless jogger
  • shirtless photo
Synonyms
  • bare-chested

    slightly more formal or literary — describes the same state but is less common in everyday conversation

  • topless

    used mainly for women's upper body nudity; when applied to men it can sound informal or humorous

Antonyms
  • fully clothed

    wearing a full set of clothes including a shirt or top

Usage Note

In everyday English, shirtless is most commonly used to describe men or boys without a shirt. For women, 'topless' or 'not wearing a top' is the usual equivalent.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three describe a person not wearing a shirt or top, but they differ in register and typical use. Shirtless is the most neutral and commonly used word — it appears in news, sports coverage, and everyday casual descriptions (e.g., 'shirtless joggers on the beach'). Bare-chested carries a slightly more literary or dramatic tone, often found in fiction or formal descriptions ('bare-chested warriors'). Topless applies primarily to women's uncovered upper body; when used for men it can sound humorous, dated, or intentionally informal. For everyday writing about men, shirtless is the safest and most natural choice.

bare-chestedtopless ↗shirtless ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • go shirtless
  • appear shirtless
  • be photographed shirtless
  • run shirtless
  • work shirtless

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in English from the noun 'shirt' (a garment covering the upper body, from Old English 'scyrte') plus the suffix '-less' (meaning 'without'). The compound has been used since at least the late 1800s to describe someone not wearing a shirt.