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inane [ ih-neyn ] SHOW IPA
/ ɪˈneɪn / PHONETIC RESPELLING
📙 Middle School LevelThis shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly : inane questions. noun
something that is empty or void, especially the void of infinite space.
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Origin of inane First recorded in 1655–65, inane is from the Latin word inānis
OTHER WORDS FROM inane in·ane·ly, adverb
Words nearby inane in-and-in ,
in and of itself ,
in-and-out ,
in-and-out bond ,
in-and-outer ,
inane ,
inanga ,
inanimate ,
inanition ,
inanity ,
in antis
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
What are other ways to say inane ?
Something inane lacks sense, significance, or ideas. Do you know when to use inane , fatuous , silly , foolish , stupid , and asinine ? Find out on Thesaurus.com .
Words related to inane absurd ,
asinine ,
daft ,
empty ,
fatuous ,
flat ,
foolish ,
frivolous ,
futile ,
harebrained ,
idiotic ,
illogical ,
imbecilic ,
innocuous ,
insipid ,
jejune ,
laughable ,
meaningless ,
mindless ,
pointless
How to use inane in a sentence To stand or sit next to someone important and make him feel insecure by saying inane but profound-sounding things.
This is all a very long lead-up to discussing Fox’s new series Alter Ego, a show so inane that the pendulum swings the other way and forces you to think anthropologically about how we got here.
Which explains why the alternately charming and inane Cooking With Paris makes for such an uncanny viewing experience.
Beyond social media, some of your friends also spam you with inane instant-message notifications.
It might well be a shock to you that members of the United States Congress would attach their names to formal documents defaced with inane , lame, juvenile titles.
And they would, it seems, nominate any movie—no matter how inane —to get those big-name butts in the seats.
If only instead of brushing off the seemingly inane , we asked ourselves but why is this person famous?
And beware the perky morning anchors with their inane questions (Aretha Franklin).
Inane and disturbing hashtags have been lobbed by those often far removed from the rocket fire.
“X-men Origins: Wolverine” featured a pharmaceutical plot twist so inane it was almost awesome.
Alarm grew in Garnache's mind, but his face maintained its foolish vacancy, its inane smile.
I should not allow inane sentimentality to influence me: it is beneath the revolutionist.
One can get amongst set after set of fellows, and into plenty of inane fashionable drawing-rooms; but, bai Jove!
Among the Aryan nations an meant mind, and this term is clearly responsible for inane or without ane.
Next week I shall devour them and think them, no doubt, inane .
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British Dictionary definitions for inane
adjective
senseless, unimaginative, or empty; unintelligent inane remarks
Derived forms of inane inanely , adverb Word Origin for inane C17: from Latin inānis empty
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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