meaningless

The word “meaningless” means having no significance, purpose, or discernible sense. In plain terms, empty of purpose or sense — pointless or without significance.

“Meaningless” is pronounced MEE-nihng-luhs (/ˈmiːnɪŋləs/ in IPA).

Here is “meaningless” used in a sentence: “The politician's promises felt meaningless after years of broken pledges.”

“Meaningless” is an adjective.

“Meaningless” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

Meaningless describes something that has no significance or discernible sense, while pointless more specifically describes an action or effort that serves no useful purpose. A statement can be meaningless because it makes no sense, while a task is pointless because it accomplishes nothing worthwhile.

Yes, a word or phrase is called meaningless when it conveys no real information or discernible sense, such as jargon strung together without logical content. This differs from a phrase that is simply false, since a meaningless statement cannot even be evaluated as true or false.

Meaningless is used comfortably in both everyday conversation and more formal or academic writing, such as philosophy or linguistics discussions about meaning. It applies equally to casual remarks, like a meaningless gesture, and to more technical claims, like a meaningless statement in logic.