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unmeaning

unmeaning

9.5
Showing no real feeling or purpose
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈmiːnɪŋ/
translation icon : sin sentido

She flew high, headlong, fast up into the sky, where the light was growing and a white wind had erased the unmeaning stars.

Examples

  • The fault was ours, for we ourselves created it, although in ignorance, unmeaning to, and supposing what we created was its very opposite.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • She flew high, headlong, fast up into the sky, where the light was growing and a white wind had erased the unmeaning stars.

  • The lecture was so convoluted that much of it felt unmeaning to the students.

  • He gave an unmeaning response to the question, leaving everyone confused about his point.

  • The poem had beautiful words but ultimately came across as unmeaning and difficult to understand.

Synonyms

meaningless
vsunmeaning
226 5.1

Having no meaning, value, or purpose

is the same idea but uses a different word form
nonmeaningful
vsunmeaning
7.6

Not useful or important

is the same idea but uses a less common form

Antonyms

2.5

Important and big enough to make a difference

327 3.3

Something that has a clear purpose or that is important

How Meaningful

profound
123 6.3
significant
2.5
meaningful
327 3.3
trivial
121 3.9
unmeaning
9.5

Surface Forms

unmeaning positive

Morphology

unmeaning = meaning (transparent) = un + mean + ing

The direct prefixation of un- to meaning is fully transparent and yields the expected sense of 'lacking meaning'.

Etymology

Unmeaning is formed from the prefix un- meaning 'not' and meaning, from mean meaning 'to have sense'. So, unmeaning means 'not having meaning' or 'meaningless', which is why an unmeaning gesture feels empty rather than sincere.