inanity

American  

[ih-nan-i-tee] / ɪˈnæn ɪ ti /

noun

inanities plural

1. lack of sense, significance, or ideas; silliness.

2. something inane.

3. shallowness; superficiality.

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inanity British  

/ ɪˈnænɪtɪ /

noun

1. lack of intelligence or imagination; senselessness; silliness

2. a senseless action, remark, etc

3. archaic emptiness

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Etymology

Origin of inanity

From the Latin word inānitās, dating back to 1595–1605. See inane, -ity

Explanation

Inanity is complete nonsense. You may be a huge fan of an action movie, but the inanity of its sequel means you're likely to skip the third and fourth installments. A lot of what passes for comedy on TV is really just inanities: foolish characters in ridiculous situations. And while one political figure makes meaningful speeches that truly inspire you, another tends to spout inanities. An earlier definition of inanity was "emptiness," from a Latin root meaning "empty or useless." During the 18th century, the word came to mean "empty of intelligence, or silly."

Example Sentences

All this inanity takes place over the course of a handful of days, during which no one ever seems to change clothes.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The weirdest thing about Oldham’s terrible opinions is that their half-baked inanity does not seem to reflect his true intellect.

From Slate • Jul. 10, 2025

What makes me grumpy these days is less the market than the hokum and inanity that would-be experts are using to calm investors right now.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 16, 2022

Realizing that my story is but one entry on 2021's extensive list of celebrity inanity restored my fortitude.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2021

Although neophyte writers may repeat a simple sentence structure to the point of inanity, most writers go to the opposite extreme and vary their syntax capriciously.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker