pointless
Americanadjective
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without a point.
a pointless pen.
-
blunt, as an instrument.
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without force, meaning, or relevance.
a pointless remark.
- Synonyms:
- ineffectual, futile, unproductive, meaningless
-
without a point scored, as in a game.
a pointless inning.
adjective
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without a point
-
without meaning, relevance, or force
-
sport without a point scored
Other Word Forms
- pointlessly adverb
- pointlessness noun
Etymology
Origin of pointless
First recorded in 1300–50, pointless is from Middle English point les. See point, -less
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.
The two men strolled around the grounds of the castle, taking in the pointless folly of the battlements and arrow slits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Besides, she felt the whole notion of considering prospects was pointless because, as she puts it, it’s not like Hollywood would want to adapt a 300,000-word book anyway.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
Mayweather championed and perfected the genre, fighting UFC star Conor McGregor in a competitively pointless but massively lucrative bout in 2017.
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026
Think of “Ratched,” the pretty and pointless “Halston” and his recent ludicrous, gorgeous disaster “All’s Fair.”
From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026
We made pointless jokes about nothing at all, our minds eternally on the thought of the next few hours.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
