meaningful
Americanadjective
adjective
-
having great meaning or validity
-
eloquent, expressive
a meaningful silence
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
Etymology
Origin of meaningful
Explanation
Use the adjective meaningful to describe something that has a purpose, like a political rally for a cause you believe in strongly. You would probably say that your backpacking trip across Asia was meaningful, or worthwhile, but you might not describe three hours watching bad TV shows as meaningful. When something is important or significant, it is meaningful, or "full of meaning." Meaning itself comes from the word mean, which has its roots in the Old English mænan, "to signify, tell, or complain."
Vocabulary lists containing meaningful
Power Suffix: -ful
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Very Necessary: Synonyms for "Important"
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-ful
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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.
"But we can absolutely put into the supply chain a very meaningful amount of heavy rare earth elements that will produce the magnets that we domestically depend upon," he added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Using sticky notes, booksellers had shared reflections on books they had read or highlighted passages they found particularly meaningful.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
“This crisis is unfolding in a pretty meaningful way not through crude oil, but through refined products,” said Daniel Sternoff, a fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
The initiative is expected to put a meaningful floor under the chip maker’s share price, providing tangible support in the near term, Citi’s Peter Lee writes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Ama turns and gives Autumn a meaningful look.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
