Dictionary

pointlessness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English pointless Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English pointlessness From pointless + -ness.

Meanings

1. (countable) The lack of meaning, purpose, or ideas; the characteristic or condition of being pointless.
   • But with unstructured improvisation, the risk that directionlessness will give way to pointlessness is high. 2007 April 8, Allan Kozinn, “The Generation of ’38, Still Kicking”, in The New York Times:
   • The pointlessness of the discussion only compounded her boredom.
   • Few political careers start when people are in their 70s, but Hendy is actually relishing it, although he is incensed sometimes by the pointlessness of the posturing by the opposition, which keeps him up late. "The bit I don't like is getting home at 0100 or 0200 in the morning because the opposition have been fruitlessly arguing for a long time." 2025 October 1, Christian Wolmar, “Rail Minister at the heart of rail reform”, in RAIL, number 1045, page 35:
   • Near-synonyms: purposelessness, meaninglessness, uselessness
2. (uncountable) The quality of not mentioning points.

Forms

Deriveds

PowerPointlessness

Relateds

astigmatism

Synonyms

purposelessness · meaninglessness · uselessness

Translations (9)

es despropósito (lack of purpose) · eo sensenceco (lack of purpose) · ru бессмы́сленность (lack of purpose) · fi turhuus (lack of purpose) · lv bezjēdzība (lack of purpose) · lv bezjēdzīgums (lack of purpose) · fi merkityksettömyys (lack of purpose) · fi pisteettömyys (in geometry or topology) · pl bezcelowość (lack of purpose)