pointless

English

Etymology

point + -less

Pronunciation

• enPR: pointʹləs, IPA: /ˈpɔɪntləs/, X-SAMPA: /"pOIntl@s/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

pointless (comparative more pointless, superlative most pointless)

1. Having no point or sharp tip; terminating squarely or in a rounded end.

   a pointless sword

   a pointless knife

2. Having no prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.

   a pointless remark

   The sequel to the film was even more pointless than the original

3. Having no purpose; purposeless; unable to effect an aim.

   Since the decision has already been made, further discussion seems pointless.

4. (mathematics) Without points.

   a pointless topology

Synonyms

• (having no point or tip): blunt, dull, obtuse
• (having no purpose): needless, purposeless, redundant, superfluous

Antonyms

• (not sharp): pointed, sharp
• (having no purpose): useful, pointful

Derived terms

• pointlessly
• pointlessness

Translations

having no point or sharp tip

• Finnish: tylsä (fi)
• German: stumpf (de)

• Spanish: romo (es) m, chato (es) m

having no prominent or important feature

• Spanish: irrelevante (es) m and f, fútil (es) m and f

having no purpose

• Arabic: بدون جدوى
• Armenian: անիմաստ (hy) (animast)
• Dutch: zinloos (nl)
• Esperanto: sensenca (eo)
• Finnish: turha (fi)

• German: sinnlos (de), witzlos (de), zwecklos (de), unnütz (de)
• Maori: mūhore (mi)
• Polish: bezsensowny (pl) m, bez sensu (pl)
• Russian: бессмысленный (ru) (bessmýslennyj)
• Spanish: inútil (es) m and f, vano (es) m, innecesario (es) m

External links

• pointless in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• pointless in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911