nothingness

American  

[nuhth-ing-nis] / ˈnʌθ ɪŋ nɪs /

noun

1. the state of being nothing.

2. something that is nonexistent.

   a view of humanity as suspended between infinity and nothingness.

3. lack of being; nonexistence.

   The sound faded into nothingness.

4. unconsciousness or death.

   She remembered a dizzy feeling, then nothingness.

5. utter insignificance, emptiness, or worthlessness; triviality.

   The days followed one another in an endless procession of nothingness.

6. something insignificant or without value.

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nothingness British  

/ ˈnʌθɪŋnɪs /

noun

1. the state or condition of being nothing; nonexistence

2. absence of consciousness or life

3. complete insignificance or worthlessness

4. something that is worthless or insignificant

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Etymology

Origin of nothingness

First recorded in 1625–35; nothing + -ness

Example Sentences

Hanna’s grief for Erik is the key to her art, but so is the nothingness he seems to have disappeared into.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Kelson’s memento mori, in its way, adds dignity to what is otherwise a sentence to nothingness.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

It had been a performance impressive in its nothingness.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2025

“That’s what baseball’s all about. These long periods of nothing happening and then bursts of action. I wanted to tease out those passages of nothingness and show that there’s actually a lot happening.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2025

I had underestimated its height—we’re a good forty yards above the boulders of the riverbank and facing a wide area of nothingness.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen