inane

(Latin: inanis, empty, void; worthless, useless; foolish)

inane (in AYN) (adjective); inaner, more inane; inanest, most inane
1. Lacking in sense; empty-headed; vapid: Because of his nonsensical behavior, Hank was considered to be an inane person.
2. Empty of meaning; pointless; foolish: The senatorial candidate's inane remarks during her political speeches resulted in her defeat at the polls.
3. Characteristic of being unthinking, unintelligent, ridiculous, etc.: Suggesting that people don't need a university or college degree to prepare them for better paying jobs is the inanest thing that Irene had ever read in the newspaper.

There is no doubt in Janet's thinking that the mayor who was caught taking drugs, and denying it, is the most inane person that she has ever heard about.

4. Etymology: from 1819, "silly, empty-headed"; earlier in 1662, "empty", a back-formation of inanity, "emptiness, hollowness"; later, in 1753, "silliness", from French inanité; which came from Latin inanitatem, "emptiness", from inanis, "empty, void, useless, worthless".
    Synonyms:
  • foolish, senseless, vapid, silly, absurd, vacuous, void of intelligence, shallow, pointless, asinine, nonsensical, empty, ridiculous.
  • unthinking, unintelligent.
  • stupid, idiotic, meaningless, fatuous.
Empty; especially, void of sense or significance.
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Lacking in substance or substance.
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inane, insane
inane (in AYN) (adjective)
1. Very silly or stupid: Polly keeps interrupting Albert with her inane comments.
2. Empty, vacant; lacking sense or meaning; foolish, pointless: Cleo quickly got tired of the inane questions the people were asking her.
insane (in SAYN) (adjective)
Having or showing severe mental illness; mentally ill or deranged: The murderer was found to be criminally insane.

It was insane of the prisoners to think that they could get away with their inane plan to escape from prison by digging a hole through the wall.

inanely (in AYN li) (adverb), more inanely, most inanely
A reference to being without sense or ideas; vacuous; empty: Harry's inanely ridiculous questions were constantly disturbing the teacher.

Shirley just sat there inanely grinning at the TV and expressing her inanely simplistic comments.

inaneness (s) (in AYN nuhs) (noun) (no plural)
Very shallow or absurd: Adam quickly got tired of the inaneness and unintelligence that was being presented on the TV program.

When national politics become obscured by all kinds of red-taped inaneness, people will often show their displeasure by voting in a new government.

inanity (in AN uh tee) (s) (noun), inanities (in AN uh teez) (pl)
1. The condition of lacking common sense or being empty minded: When Dick drives after having consumed alcoholic drinks, he is expressing an example of inanity which can be very dangerous.
2. Frivolous or idiotic things: There are some internet sites that contain inanities that make some people wonder how they can continue to exist.
3. Foolish or trite remarks during conversations: Some talk shows on the radio and TV include too many tiresome inanities.
Senseless remarks or conversation.
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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
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