Standard Lemma guide

pointless

adj · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • pointʹləs
  • /ˈpɔɪntləs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P OY1 N T L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a pointless sword
  • a pointless knife

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a pointless remark
  • The sequel to the film was even more pointless than the original

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Having no points

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

Examples

  • After four matches and four defeats, United remain pointless at the foot of the table.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Without points.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

Examples

  • a pointless topology

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Point-free; employing the tacit programming paradigm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective

Meaning 7

not having a point especially a sharp point

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • my pencils are all pointless

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unpointed

Antonyms: pointed

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • otiose lines in a play
  • advice is wasted words
  • a pointless remark
  • a life essentially purposeless
  • senseless violence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: otiose, purposeless, senseless, superfluous, wasted

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English pointles, poynteles, poyntlees. By surface analysis, point + -less.

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: тъп (tǎp) — having no point or sharp tip
  • Finnish: tylsä — having no point or sharp tip
  • French: obtus — having no point or sharp tip
  • German: stumpf — having no point or sharp tip
  • Portuguese: sem ponta — having no point or sharp tip
  • Portuguese: desapontado — having no point or sharp tip
  • Spanish: romo — having no point or sharp tip
  • Spanish: chato — having no point or sharp tip
  • Swedish: trubbig — having no point or sharp tip
  • Belarusian: бессэнсо́ўны (bjessensówny) — having no prominent or important feature
  • Belarusian: бязглу́зды (bjazhlúzdy) — having no prominent or important feature
  • Bulgarian: безсми́слен (bezsmíslen) — having no prominent or important feature
  • German: gegenstandslos — having no prominent or important feature
  • German: irrelevant — having no prominent or important feature
  • Latvian: bezjēdzīgs — having no prominent or important feature
  • Lithuanian: bereikšmis — having no prominent or important feature
  • Russian: бессмы́сленный (bessmýslennyj) — having no prominent or important feature
  • Swedish: meningslös — having no prominent or important feature
  • Ukrainian: безглу́здий (bezhlúzdyj) — having no prominent or important feature
  • Arabic: بدون جدوى — having no purpose
  • Armenian: անիմաստ (animast) — having no purpose
  • Belarusian: бессэнсо́ўны (bjessensówny) — having no purpose
  • Belarusian: бязглу́зды (bjazhlúzdy) — having no purpose
  • Bulgarian: безсми́слен (bezsmíslen) — having no purpose
  • Dutch: zinloos — having no purpose
  • Esperanto: sensenca — having no purpose
  • Esperanto: senkiala — having no purpose
  • Finnish: turha — having no purpose
  • French: inutile — having no purpose
  • French: vain — having no purpose
  • German: sinnlos — having no purpose
  • German: witzlos — having no purpose
  • German: zwecklos — having no purpose
  • German: unnütz — having no purpose
  • Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌺𐍃 (halks) — having no purpose
  • Ancient Greek: μάταιος (mátaios) — having no purpose
  • Ingrian: turha — having no purpose
  • Irish: fánach — having no purpose
  • Latin: vānus — having no purpose
  • Latvian: bezjēdzīgs — having no purpose
  • Māori: mūhore — having no purpose
  • Māori: makihoi — having no purpose
  • Māori: maumau — having no purpose
  • Māori: moumou — having no purpose
  • Māori: kikokore — having no purpose
  • Māori: huhuakore — having no purpose
  • Māori: papakore — having no purpose
  • Eastern Mari: арам (aram) — having no purpose
  • Polish: bezsensowny — having no purpose
  • Polish: bez sensu — having no purpose
  • Polish: bezcelowy — having no purpose
  • Portuguese: inútil — having no purpose
  • Russian: бессмы́сленный (bessmýslennyj) — having no purpose
  • Spanish: despropositado — having no purpose
  • Swedish: poänglös — having no purpose
  • Swedish: meningslös — having no purpose
  • Ukrainian: безглу́здий (bezhlúzdyj) — having no purpose