inane

1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈnān 

inaner; inanest

1

: lacking significance, meaning, or point : silly

inane comments

2

: empty, insubstantial

inanely adverb

inaneness

i-ˈnān-nəs 

noun

inane

2 of 2

noun

: void or empty space

a voyage into the limitless inane

—V. G. Childe

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Can inane Be Used As a Noun?

Inane suggests emptiness in thought or meaning, and as a noun it has similar use, as in "thoughts making excursions into the incomprehensible inane" (the example is attributed to the 17th-century philosopher John Locke). The noun is not often used nowadays, but the adjective fills the void.

Synonyms

Adjective

• empty
• meaningless
• pointless
• senseless

Choose the Right Synonym for inane

insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character.

insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

Examples of inane in a Sentence

Adjective

All around us swirls the battering of gargantuan films, Styrofoam epics with megatons of special effects, gleefully inane adolescent films, horror films that really are horrible. —Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic, 15 Mar. 2004

The surfeit of home runs is a sop to all the Philistines who require inane diversions like programmed races between electronic dots on the scoreboard to make it through a two-hit shutout. —Nicholas Dawidoff, New York Times Magazine, 4 Apr. 1999

Though feminist leaders are mostly aligned with those sentiments, they can't separate their quest for economic equity from the inane political correctness of their extremist sisters. —Mary Matalin, Newsweek, 25 Oct. 1993

I quickly tired of their inane comments.

The film's plot is inane and full of clichés.

Noun

And thus likewise we sometimes speak of place, distance, or bulk in the great inane beyond the confines of the world. —John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1689

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That said, clearing snow actually is one of the most meaningful activities in prison life, because most of the others are an inane response to the need to generate work at all costs. —Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024

This is the level of inane and improbable complexity that a conspiracy theorist should aim for after an unexpected event such as an assassination or attempt, a narrow election, a terrorist attack, or a pandemic. —Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, 24 July 2024

Noun

June 19: [At the disco Private Eyes, with Greg and friends]: spent a couple of hours amidst the inane thumping music. —Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2022

My guess is that the patriotic disguise is hollow and that the inane, formulaic Maverick is a test. —Armond White, National Review, 27 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Latin inanis

First Known Use

Adjective

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1677, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

inane

adjective

in-ˈān

: lacking meaning or point : silly

inane remarks about the weather

inanely adverb

inaneness

-ˈān-nəs

noun