inane

[ ih-neyn ]

See synonyms for inane on Thesaurus.com

adjective

lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly: inane questions.
empty; void.

noun

something that is empty or void, especially the void of infinite space.

Origin of inane

First recorded in 1655–65, inane is from the Latin word inānis

Other words for inane

1	absurd, pointless

See synonyms for inane on Thesaurus.com

Other words from inane

in·ane·ly, adverb

Words Nearby inane

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use inane in a sentence

And they would, it seems, nominate any movie—no matter how inane—to get those big-name butts in the seats.
The Golden Globes Sobers Up (Sort Of): Years of Ridicule and Bribery Rumors Scares HFPA Straight | Marlow Stern | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
If only instead of brushing off the seemingly inane, we asked ourselves but why is this person famous?
Why We Need Celebrity Scandals | Jessica Ferri | November 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
And beware the perky morning anchors with their inane questions (Aretha Franklin).
Ariana Grande, This Is How to Be a Diva | Tim Teeman | October 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
inane and disturbing hashtags have been lobbed by those often far removed from the rocket fire.
Is Twitter Trolling Making the Israel-Palestine Conflict Worse? | Emily Shire | July 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“X-men Origins: Wolverine” featured a pharmaceutical plot twist so inane it was almost awesome.
Scandal’s Finale Featured One of the Most Preposterous TV Deaths Ever | Russell Saunders | April 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Alarm grew in Garnache's mind, but his face maintained its foolish vacancy, its inane smile.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
I should not allow inane sentimentality to influence me: it is beneath the revolutionist.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist | Alexander Berkman
One can get amongst set after set of fellows, and into plenty of inane fashionable drawing-rooms; but, bai Jove!
By Birth a Lady | George Manville Fenn
Among the Aryan nations an meant mind, and this term is clearly responsible for inane or without ane.
Archaic England | Harold Bayley
Next week I shall devour them and think them, no doubt, inane.
The Tragic Muse | Henry James

British Dictionary definitions for inane

inane

/ (ɪˈneɪn) /

adjective

senseless, unimaginative, or empty; unintelligent: inane remarks

Origin of inane

C17: from Latin inānis empty

Derived forms of inane

inanely, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse