# meaningless

/ˈminɪŋɫəs/ (US) · /mˈiːnɪŋləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/meaningless
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. without purpose or value

adjective · CEFR B2

having no purpose or importance in a particular situation.

For teachers: lacking significance, purpose, or value; often used to describe actions or lives that feel empty.

- Without a clear goal, the extra work felt completely meaningless to the team.
- The philosopher argued that existence is inherently meaningless unless the individual actively constructs their own sense of purpose through creative action.

Usage: Often follows 'feel' or 'seem' to describe a subjective emotional state.

### 2. without clear information

adjective · CEFR B2

having no clear message or information that you can understand.

For teachers: lacking semantic content or logical coherence; describing data or language that conveys no information.

- The computer error produced a long string of meaningless numbers and symbols.
- The witness provided a series of meaningless statements that failed to clarify his whereabouts on the night of the incident.

Usage: Commonly used to describe data, statistics, or political rhetoric.

## Examples

- The long meeting felt completely meaningless.
- Without the correct context, these numbers are meaningless to the average reader.
- The philosopher argued that life is not inherently meaningless, but rather a blank canvas upon which each individual must paint their own purpose.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.