pointless
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈɔɪntləs/
US
- /ˈpɔɪntləs/
Description
- useless
- meaningless
- serving no purpose
Sometimes life throws you curveballs, like spending hours building a sandcastle only for the tide to wash it away. That effort felt pointless, didn't it? It means something has no real purpose, does not achieve anything useful, or is not worth doing. A pointless argument is one that goes nowhere and solves nothing. You might describe a long story with no real ending as pointless, or a task that feels like a waste of time. Think of it as something that just ends without making any difference.
The word "pointless" describes something lacking purpose, significance, or value. It suggests an action, discussion, or situation that doesn't lead to a meaningful outcome and is therefore unproductive or frustrating. Imagine trying to fit a square peg into a round hole - the effort would be pointless.
"Pointless" can apply to many things. A pointless debate might circle endlessly without reaching a resolution. A pointless exercise could be one that offers no benefit. You might describe a movie with a confusing plot and unsatisfying ending as "pointless." It's stronger than simply saying something is "unhelpful" - it implies a complete lack of justification for existing or happening.
Sometimes, "pointless" carries an emotional weight, suggesting frustration or disappointment. If you spend hours on a project that gets rejected immediately, you might feel like your efforts were pointless. It can also be used to describe someone's behavior if it seems unreasonable or without reason: "He was being difficult and making pointless objections."
So, when something feels devoid of meaning, doesn't achieve anything useful, or is simply a waste of time and energy, that's when you can confidently call it pointless. It's a word that highlights the importance of purpose and value in our actions and experiences.
Examples
- 1
Failed contact
It was pointless to call again; no one was answering.
- 2
Bad timing
Cleaning the car before the storm seemed pointless.
- 3
Meetings
We had a long, pointless meeting about a problem we had already solved.
- 4
Arguments
There is no need to start another pointless argument.
- 5
Paperwork
She refused to fill out what she saw as a pointless form.
- 6
Repeated attempts
After three failed attempts, he felt it was pointless trying again.
- 7
Film criticism
The film ends with a pointless act of violence that adds nothing to the story.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- pointlessadjective