meaningless
/ˈmiːnɪŋləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmiːnɪŋləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmē-niŋ-ləs/ (ame, mw)
meaningless — 形容詞
- meaninglesspositive
- more meaninglesscomparative
- most meaninglesssuperlative
1. Describing written words, symbols, sounds, or speech that do not carry any messa
無意義
無法傳達任何訊息或想法
Describing written words, symbols, sounds, or speech that do not carry any message or idea that a person can understand or make sense of.
The ancient symbols carved on the stone wall looked completely meaningless to the archaeologists.
石牆上刻的那些古老符號對考古學家來說完全無意義。
collocation: completely meaningless
Feng kept repeating the same meaningless sounds while staring out of the window.
Feng 一邊凝視窗外，一邊反覆說著同樣的無意義聲音。
attributive use: meaningless sounds
To the tourist from Taiwan, the street signs in Arabic script were entirely meaningless.
對那位來自台灣的觀光客而言，那些用阿拉伯文寫的路牌完全無意義。
The baby's babbling sounded like meaningless noise, though her mother seemed to understand it.
寶寶的牙牙學語聽起來像是無意義的噪音，但她媽媽似乎聽得懂。
The warning label had been so badly translated that most of it became meaningless.
那張警告標籤被翻譯得很糟，大部分內容已經變得毫無意義。
- unintelligible
Focuses on the impossibility of being understood rather than the absence of meaning; e.g. 'His speech was slurred and unintelligible.'
- nonsensical
Stronger tone — suggests the words are deliberately absurd or illogical, not simply empty.
- empty
More informal and vague; can refer to words that lack sincerity rather than semantic content.
- meaningful
The direct opposite — carries a clear message or purpose.
- intelligible
Possible to understand; implies the content is there but was previously unclear.
文法句型
meaningless + noun
be + meaningless
用法筆記
Gradable in theory, but the comparative forms 'more meaningless' and 'most meaningless' are far less common than adverb-modified versions such as 'completely meaningless' or 'utterly meaningless'. This sense overlaps slightly with 'unintelligible', but 'unintelligible' focuses on the lack of understandability, whereas 'meaningless' focuses on the lack of communicated content.
常見錯誤
2. Having no real importance, value, or influence in a particular situation; not be
不重要
缺乏重要性或影響力
Having no real importance, value, or influence in a particular situation; not being worth serious attention or thought.
The committee spent hours arguing over meaningless details instead of addressing the main problem.
委員會花了幾個小時爭論不重要的細節，卻沒有處理主要問題。
collocation: meaningless details
Ava considered the award completely meaningless compared to her family's health and happiness.
對 Ava 來說，那個獎項跟家人的健康和幸福相比完全不重要。
To the voters, the candidate's repeated promises had become meaningless after years of broken commitments.
對選民而言，那位候選人一再作出的承諾在多年失信之後已變得毫無意義。
Most of the numbers in the report were meaningless for answering the research question.
報告中的大多數數字對回答研究問題來說沒有意義。
The difference between the two products is so small it seems meaningless to shoppers.
這兩種產品的差異非常小，對消費者來說不重要。
- trivial
More specific — suggests something is small or minor in scope; 'meaningless' carries a stronger dismissive tone.
- insignificant
Closer in register; 'insignificant' is more neutral and objective, while 'meaningless' is more emotive.
- irrelevant
Focuses on not being related to the topic at hand, rather than lacking importance in general.
- important
The direct opposite — having significance or influence.
- significant
Noteworthy or consequential; opposite of 'meaningless' in value terms.
- meaningful
Carrying importance or purpose; works across all three senses.
文法句型
seem + meaningless
become + meaningless
meaningless + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (PURPOSELESS). Sense 2 describes things that do not matter in a given context (trivial details, empty promises). Sense 3 describes a deeper existential or purpose-driven emptiness (a meaningless existence, a meaningless pursuit). The context of 'argument' or 'debate' can be ambiguous — 'The argument was meaningless' could mean either trivial (sense 2) or futile (sense 3), depending on the speaker's intent.
常見錯誤
3. Lacking any worthwhile purpose or valid reason, so that an activity, situation,
無謂；徒勞
缺乏目的而沒有價值的
Lacking any worthwhile purpose or valid reason, so that an activity, situation, or state of being feels empty and not worth doing, having, or continuing.
After his wife died, the old man felt his daily life had become completely meaningless.
妻子去世後，那位老先生覺得自己的日常生活變得完全無謂。
collocation: completely meaningless
Arjun realised that trying to please everyone was a meaningless pursuit that only exhausted him.
Arjun 意識到討好所有人是一種徒勞的行為，只會讓他筋疲力盡。
attributive use: a meaningless pursuit
Doing the same tasks every week made the job feel meaningless to Lucía.
每週都做同樣的工作讓 Lucía 覺得這份工作毫無意義。
The debate was completely meaningless because neither side was willing to change its position.
那場辯論完全徒勞無功，因為雙方都不願意改變自己的立場。
Filling out these forms feels like a meaningless ritual that nobody ever reads.
填這些表格感覺像是一種無謂的儀式，根本沒有人會去看。
- pointless
More active — emphasises that an effort or activity will achieve nothing; e.g. 'It is pointless to argue with someone who will not listen.'
- futile
Stronger and more formal — suggests that an attempt is certain to fail; e.g. 'The rescue effort was futile given the storm.'
- purposeless
Rarer and more literal — describes something that simply has no goal or aim.
- empty
More informal — describes an experience that feels hollow rather than aimless.
- meaningful
Carrying deep purpose or significance.
- worthwhile
Deserving the time or effort spent; the opposite of a futile or empty activity.
- purposeful
Deliberate and goal-directed; the opposite of an aimless existence.
文法句型
feel + meaningless
seem + meaningless
become + meaningless
meaningless + noun
用法筆記
This sense carries an existential or emotional weight that sense 2 (UNIMPORTANT) does not. Use sense 3 when the speaker is expressing frustration, emptiness, or despair about the lack of purpose. Sense 2 is more factual and context-dependent. The phrase 'meaningless relationship' could be sense 2 (a relationship with no real emotional value) or sense 3 (a relationship that feels futile because it is going nowhere).