inane en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ɪˈnæɪn/ (Australia)
- audio Queensland
- /ɪˈneɪn/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Latin inānis (“empty, vain, useless”), of unknown origin.
Meanings
-
Lacking sense or meaning, often to the point of boredom or annoyance.
This supremely gifted kid told me that in the early elementary grades, the songs sung in music class were so inane that he wanted to skip grades already! Eventually he did, so better late than never.
Francesca followed, reluctant enough in her secret; for though she would not have admitted it even to herself, she did shrink from the infliction of the inane solemnities with which her father garnished his discourse—to say nothing of the ungracious reflections which so often glanced at herself.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIX, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 237:God, if she had to listen to another conversation about some kid she didnʼt know—how Tina J. stole the stage at the talent show or Bobby R. won the tee ball game or any other number of inane accomplishments.
2020, Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half, Dialogue Books, page 156:
-
Purposeless; pointless.
Vague and inane instincts.
1832, [Isaac Taylor], Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| inaner | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most inane | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| inanest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more inane | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
inaneness · inanery · inanity · inanely · uninane
Synonyms
Translations (74)
ca vacu (lacking sense or meaning) · az məzmunsuz (lacking sense or meaning) · pt fútil (lacking sense or meaning) · pl bezmyślny (lacking sense or meaning) · nl zinloos (lacking sense or meaning) · fr niais (lacking sense or meaning) · sv andefattig (lacking sense or meaning) · de sinnfrei (lacking sense or meaning) · mi heahea (lacking sense or meaning) · ro inutil (purposeless; pointless) · ru бессмы́сленный (lacking sense or meaning) · pl beztreściwy (lacking sense or meaning) · da intetsigende (lacking sense or meaning) · da åndsforladt (lacking sense or meaning) · cs zbytečný (purposeless; pointless) · de inhaltsleer (lacking sense or meaning) · gl inane (purposeless; pointless) · az məqsədsiz (purposeless; pointless) · cs stupidní (lacking sense or meaning) · fi typerä (lacking sense or meaning) · pt vazio (lacking sense or meaning) · ru глу́пый (lacking sense or meaning) · ca va (lacking sense or meaning) · nl inhoudsloos (lacking sense or meaning) · pl beztreściowy (lacking sense or meaning) · nl doelloos (purposeless; pointless) · pl bezcelowy (purposeless; pointless) · de sinnlos (lacking sense or meaning) · fr vain (purposeless; pointless) · az mənasız (lacking sense or meaning) · fr inepte (lacking sense or meaning) · sh besmislen (lacking sense or meaning) · ru бессмы́сленный (purposeless; pointless) · pl bezsensowny (purposeless; pointless) · fr insensé (lacking sense or meaning) · cs prázdný (purposeless; pointless) · nl stom (lacking sense or meaning) · sv intetsägande (lacking sense or meaning) · pt inane (purposeless; pointless) · cs hloupý (lacking sense or meaning) · de vergeblich (purposeless; pointless) · gd faoin (lacking sense or meaning) · pl głupi (lacking sense or meaning) · es inane (lacking sense or meaning) · it inane (purposeless; pointless) · ro inept (lacking sense or meaning) · no intetsigende (lacking sense or meaning) · bg глупав (lacking sense or meaning) · ca vacu (purposeless; pointless) · bg безсмислен (lacking sense or meaning) · az boş (lacking sense or meaning) · de belanglos (lacking sense or meaning) · de hohl (lacking sense or meaning) · ro stupid (lacking sense or meaning) · fi tyhjä (lacking sense or meaning) · ru пусто́й (lacking sense or meaning) · ru бесце́льный (purposeless; pointless) · de bedeutungslos (lacking sense or meaning) · cs marný (purposeless; pointless) · pt inane (lacking sense or meaning) · bg безцелен (purposeless; pointless) · fr inane (lacking sense or meaning) · nl flauw (lacking sense or meaning) · fi merkityksetön (lacking sense or meaning) · cs bezúčelný (purposeless; pointless) · ro fără sens (lacking sense or meaning) · fr inutile (purposeless; pointless) · cs nejapný (lacking sense or meaning) · fr inane (purposeless; pointless) · de albern (lacking sense or meaning) · sh бесмислен (lacking sense or meaning) · de zwecklos (purposeless; pointless) · pt vão (lacking sense or meaning) · es inane (purposeless; pointless)