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Synonyms

purposeless

American  
[pur-puhs-lis] / ˈpɜr pəs lɪs /

adjective

  1. having no purpose or apparent meaning.

  2. having no aim or goal; aimless.

    to lead a purposeless existence.


purposeless British  
/ ˈpɜːpəslɪs /

adjective

  1. having no fixed plan or intention

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of purposeless

First recorded in 1545–55; purpose + -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.

See Examples For:

“So, in a way, my life seems purposeless now,” Wright continues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2024

Meanwhile Kendall has become, in every sense of the word, purposeless now that the competition has finished and he has lost.

From Salon ● May 30, 2023

“Real life is purposeless, anarchic, accidental, chaotic, unjust,” he said during a recent video call.

From New York Times ● Jul. 6, 2022

In a crisis of this magnitude, finding the emotional space to care about a single death can feel purposeless, unnecessary.

From The Guardian ● May 2, 2020

He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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