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pointless

pointless

157 3.5
Not doing anything useful
  • adjective
  • /ˈpɔɪntləs/
translation icon : inútil
  • For many, doing hours of homework without understanding the subject feels pointless.
  • pointless to try
  • seems pointless
  • life is pointless

So they have to find all of these pointless arguments and fights.

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Examples

  • The debate had been really rather pointless, and in the end, nothing had been achieved.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • That's great, but it's pointless when there's no fuel in the car.

  • And was it the most pointless battle of the First World War?

  • And so now that person feels like it's a pointless action.

  • Okay, this is probably pointless, but is there anything I can do?

  • Twenty hours in my class would be pointless for you.

  • The game itself is pointless.

  • The lack of such a system might sound like a pointless problem to some engineers.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Mom could see that continuing the conversation was pointless, and we rode the rest of the way home in silence.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • That being said, a review would be pointless without a healthy dose of skepticism.

Synonyms

useless
vspointless
550 1.0

Not able to do the job it is made for

focuses on lack of purpose rather than mere practical failure
unnecessary
vspointless
300 1.6

More than is needed or wanted

is about no purpose while this highlights not being required or essential
worthless
vspointless
298 3.0

Has no value or use

focuses on lacking purpose rather than general low value or esteem
meaningless
vspointless
226 5.1

Having no meaning, value, or purpose

focuses on lacking purpose or use rather than lack of meaning alone
no-good
vspointless
  • Informal
88 5.6

Bad or worthless and often causing trouble

expresses lack of purpose rather than moral badness or unreliability
futile
vspointless
84 6.0

Not likely to work or help

frames lack of purpose as absence of successful outcome rather than intention
senseless
vspointless
69 4.2

Foolish and having no clear reason

refers specifically to absence of purpose rather than foolishness or irrationality
idle
vspointless
34 5.2

Unimportant talk with no real reason

means general lack of purpose, not only empty talk or groundless fear
inconsequential
vspointless
29 7.7

Not important and not likely to make a difference

points to absence of purpose rather than merely limited importance or scope
inane
vspointless
28 7.5

Very silly and having no real meaning

shows absence of purpose rather than focusing on mere silliness or stupidity
superfluous
vspointless
22 7.0

More than what is needed or useful

focuses on lacking purpose rather than merely being extra beyond need
unneeded
vspointless
7 2.3

Not necessary or useful in a situation

marks absence of purpose versus merely lacking current necessity or demand
purposeless
vspointless
4 5.3

Not done for any clear reason or useful result

is the same sense stated simply without extra nuance or tone
good-for-nothing
vspointless
  • Offensive
2 6.8

Not useful or worth much

views lack of purpose in general terms rather than blaming worth or character
nonproductive
vspointless
2 4.5

Not giving useful results or helping to finish work, like a meeting

describes lack of purpose rather than simply low production or efficiency
wasted
vspointless
1 4.2

Not producing any useful result

expresses absence of purpose rather than emphasis on lost effort or waste
functionless
vspointless
1 5.0

Not working or useful for any purpose

emphasizes absence of purpose instead of technical breakdown or damage
as useless as tits on a boar hog
vspointless
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Something that has no real purpose or value

shows the same meaning but with offensive or coarse tone
nonpurposive
vspointless
8.8

Not done with a clear aim or useful reason

is used to show lack of purpose rather than planned or goal driven action
otiose
vspointless
  • Formal
9.9

Useless and not needed

is similar in meaning but sounds more formal or rare in use
nonmeaningful
vspointless
7.6

Not useful or important

stresses lack of purpose rather than missing symbolic or interpretive sense
good-for-naught
vspointless
  • Offensive
9.9

Not useful and having little value

expresses lack of purpose rather than moral failure or personal worth
inconsequent
vspointless
9.1

Not important or serious compared with other things

highlights lack of purpose while this stresses low importance or effect
as useful as a hole in the head
vspointless
  • Informal
9.8

Not helpful and not wanted in any situation

conveys the same lack of purpose but in vivid idiomatic language
as useful as a bag of dicks
vspointless
  • Offensive
9.9

Completely without help for any task

expresses identical lack of purpose but uses crude slang and insult

Antonyms

947 1.0

Helps you do practical tasks or solve a problem

327 3.3

Something that has a clear purpose or that is important

How Pointless

pointless
157 3.5
senseless
69 4.2
futile
84 6.0
unnecessary
300 1.6
purposeful
27 4.2

Surface Forms

pointless positive

Morphology

pointless = point (transparent) = point + less

The adjective is formed by the productive suffix '-less' added to the noun 'point'; the meaning 'without purpose' or 'without a sharp tip' is directly derived from the appropriate sense of 'point'.

Etymology

Pointless is made from point and -less, and point can mean a 'purpose' as in 'What's the point?'. So, pointless means 'without a purpose', something that has no use.