topless

topless — adjective

1. having the chest area uncovered, usually describing a woman with no clothing abo

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

having the chest area uncovered, usually describing a woman with no clothing above the waist; also describing places or shows where such uncovered dress is part of the experience.

Example

The hotel had a topless beach where some guests went swimming without their swimsuit tops.

collocation: topless beach

Tamar felt awkward when the waiter led them past a row of topless dancers.

attributive: topless dancers

Common collocations
  • topless beach
  • topless bar
  • topless dancer
  • topless waitress
  • topless sunbathing
  • topless club
  • topless entertainment
  • go topless
Synonyms
  • shirtless

    refers to any person (man or woman) not wearing a shirt; less marked than 'topless'

  • bare-chested

    slightly more formal than 'shirtless'; common for men in sports or magazine contexts

  • nude

    refers to complete nakedness, not just the upper body; broader and more formal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

topless + noun

be + topless

go + topless

Usage Note

In English, 'topless' is far more common for women than for men. For a man without a shirt, 'shirtless' or 'bare-chested' are the typical words. The noun form is rare — the adjective is almost always used in attributive position ('a topless bar') or after 'go' ('she went topless').

Common Mistakes

The topless waiter brought us our drinks.
The shirtless waiter brought us our drinks.
'topless' almost always describes women; 'shirtless' is used for men.
She went to the beach toplessly.
She went topless at the beach.
'topless' is an adjective, not an adverb; use 'go topless' or 'be topless'.

2. lacking a top, lid, or covering that would normally be part of the object, so th

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

lacking a top, lid, or covering that would normally be part of the object, so that its contents or interior are exposed.

Example

The topless container sat out in the rain all night and filled with dirty water.

collocation: topless container

Iris bought a set of topless jars at the market for her paintbrush collection.

attributive: topless jars

Common collocations
  • topless container
  • topless jar
  • topless bottle
  • topless can
  • topless birdcage
Synonyms
  • uncovered

    more general; can apply to anything not covered, including containers, food, or people

  • lidless

    specifically refers to a container whose lid is missing; less common than 'topless'

  • open

    very common and general; can describe a container that has been opened or never had a cover

Antonyms
  • covered

    general opposite

  • lidded

    specifically having a lid

  • sealed

    closed and secured with a lid or covering

Grammar Patterns

topless + noun

be + topless

Usage Note

Much less common than sense 1. Typically appears in contexts describing containers, vehicles, or objects whose lid or roof has been removed or is missing. Not used for people or animals. Often interchangeable with 'uncovered' or 'without a lid', though 'topless' carries a slightly more specific sense of the item's intended top part being absent.

Common Mistakes

The topless car drove down the highway.
The convertible drove down the highway with the top down.
'topless' for a car with the roof down is rare; 'convertible' or 'with the top down' is more natural.

Word family

  • top
    nounA1
  • top
    adjectiveA2
  • top
    verbB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a person not wearing clothing on the upper body, but they differ in scope and social nuance. 'Topless' is the most specific: it almost always refers to a woman with exposed breasts and carries a stronger social or cultural charge — commonly appearing in discussions of beaches, bars, or entertainment venues. 'Shirtless' is the most neutral and gender-inclusive term, used for anyone simply not wearing a shirt, whether at the gym, in summer, or in a magazine. 'Bare-chested' overlaps with 'shirtless' but skews slightly more formal and is common in sports journalism ('the bare-chested striker') or fashion contexts. 'Nude' covers complete undress, not just the upper body, making it broader. For a man without a shirt, say 'He was shirtless in the garden'; for a woman sunbathing with no bikini top, say 'She went topless on the beach'; for a full-frontal art photograph, use 'nude'.

topless ↗shirtless ↗bare-chestednude ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • go topless
  • remain topless

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in English by combining the noun 'top' (the highest or uppermost part of something) with the suffix '-less' (meaning 'without'). The word first appeared in the 1600s with the literal meaning 'having no top or lid'. The now-dominant meaning — a person, especially a woman, with no clothing on the upper body — emerged in the mid-20th century, around the 1960s and 1970s, when social norms around public nudity began shifting and topless beaches and entertainment venues became more common in Western culture.