pointless

adjective

point·​less ˈpȯint-ləs How to pronounce pointless (audio)
1
: devoid of meaning : senseless
a pointless remark
2
: devoid of effectiveness : flat
pointless attempts to be funny
pointlessly adverb
pointlessness noun

Examples of pointless in a Sentence

It would be pointless for us to continue the investigation. a pointless remark that left everyone scratching their heads in confusion
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump might still engage in gratuitous protectionism and pick pointless diplomatic squabbles. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 Slavin was pointless in the tournament but his steady pairing with Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild was effective and reliable during an event when every team was rolling out dangerous scorers on every line. Carol Schram, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 Getting back together can be anything from a pointless effort to a straight-up unhealthy or dangerous setup, like if there was any form of abuse involved. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 18 Feb. 2025 The forthcoming live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon can’t help but feel somewhat pointless — the great cinematographer Roger Deakins already consulted on the original to make its animation as sweepingly realistic as possible. James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pointless

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pointless was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pointless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pointless. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

pointless

adjective
point·​less ˈpȯint-ləs How to pronounce pointless (audio)
1
: lacking meaning : senseless
a pointless remark
2
: ineffective sense 1
pointless attempts to be funny
pointlessly adverb
pointlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on pointless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!