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Synonyms

meaningful

American  
[mee-ning-fuhl] / ˈmi nɪŋ fəl /

adjective

  1. full of meaning, significance, purpose, or value; purposeful; significant.

    a meaningful wink;

    a meaningful choice.


meaningful British  
/ ˈmiːnɪŋfʊl /

adjective

  1. having great meaning or validity

  2. eloquent, expressive

    a meaningful silence

"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

Usage

What are other ways to say meaningful? Something that is meaningful, such as a meaningful wink or meaningful choice, is full of meaning, purpose, or value. Do you know how meaningful differs from the synonyms expressive, significant, and suggestive? Find out on Thesaurus.com. 

Other Word Forms

  • meaningfully adverb
  • meaningfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of meaningful

First recorded in 1850–55; meaning + -ful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“What else can you do in your life that will make you feel that it’s more meaningful?”

From Barron's

And meaningful progress turns out to be much harder than simply refashioning an exhibit or a docent’s spiel.

From Los Angeles Times

Attorney Sarah London added that justice would "ultimately be measured by the outcomes of the ongoing litigation and whether meaningful safety reforms are implemented to protect passengers going forward".

From BBC

“To support the current stock price, however, we need to see a meaningful inflection in revenue growth, from AI or otherwise.”

From MarketWatch

It also seems unfathomable that your next 12 years are full of dedicated readers and viewers who make this job the most fun, rewarding and meaningful one you’ve ever had.

From The Wall Street Journal