immaterial

adjective im·ma·te·ri·al \ ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Examples: immaterial in a Sentence

Definition of immaterial

1 : not consisting of matter : incorporeal

2 : of no substantial consequence : unimportant

See immaterial defined for English-language learners

See immaterial defined for kids

Examples of immaterial in a Sentence

Whether or not he intended to cause problems is immaterial.
The fact that she is a woman is immaterial and irrelevant.

Recent Examples of immaterial from the Web

But the object that casts the shadow is unremarkable, a shape less real than the immaterial image.

— edward rothstein, WSJ, "‘Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now’ Review: Tracing the Shadows of Past and Present," 13 June 2018
For Brooks no less than Eisenhower, the actual theology or spiritual content of religion is immaterial.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "David Brooks needs a name for his new religion.," 13 June 2018
While Oladipo worked painstakingly to avoid Cleveland’s pick-and-roll traps, James operated as if the defense were immaterial.

— rob mahoney, SI.com, "LeBron James Saves a Season on the Brink," 26 Apr. 2018
But whatever good work the league has done has been negated by team owners, who time and again have sent the message that women’s lives are immaterial if their abusers are key contributors on the field.

— nancy armour, USA TODAY, "49ers put Reuben Foster, and rest of NFL, on notice about domestic violence," 23 Apr. 2018
Made entirely from wire mesh, the massive buildings rise from the vast campgrounds of the annual festival like ghostly figures that are at once material and immaterial.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "Edoardo Tresoldi’s ethereal wire mesh sculptures rise in the California desert," 13 Apr. 2018
Otherwise, Japanese companies could dodge domestic taxes by stashing money in New York or Berlin, knowing that bulging bank accounts in those cities would be immaterial to American and European tax collectors.

— david scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Trillions of dollars have sloshed into offshore tax havens. Here’s how to get it back," 20 Jan. 2018
Whether or not Trump saw McCabe writing memos is totally immaterial.

— chris cillizza, CNN, "Donald Trump sure looks like he is planning to fire Robert Mueller," 18 Mar. 2018
Reines swats away the usual criticisms of Clinton’s campaign, dismissing its tactical (not campaigning in Wisconsin) and personal (all that Clinton baggage) issues as being immaterial because similar criticisms were thrown at Al Gore and John Kerry.

— alex shephard, The New Republic, "Philippe Reines has a curious theory for how Democrats can win in 2020.," 15 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'immaterial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of immaterial

Middle English immaterial, from Late Latin immaterialis, from Latin in- + Late Latin materialis material

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

immaterial Synonyms

IMMATERIAL Defined for English Language Learners

immaterial

adjective

Definition of immaterial for English Language Learners

: not important or significant

IMMATERIAL Defined for Kids

immaterial

adjective im·ma·te·ri·al \ ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl \

Definition of immaterial for Students

: not important : insignificant

The new evidence is immaterial.

Law Dictionary

immaterial

adjective im·ma·te·ri·al \ ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl \

legal Definition of immaterial

: not essential, pertinent, or of consequence

the jury could have discounted the medical history evidence, or while accepting its accuracy, found it immaterial
—Willett v. State, 911 S.W.2d 937 (1995)

— compare irrelevant

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