meaningful

adjective

mean·​ing·​ful ˈmē-niŋ-fəl 

1

a

: having a meaning or purpose

The tests did not produce any meaningful results.

b

: full of meaning : significant

a meaningful life

a meaningful relationship

2

: having an assigned function in a language system

meaningful propositions

meaningfully

ˈmē-niŋ-fə-lē 

adverb

meaningfulness noun

Synonyms of meaningful

• suggestive
• eloquent
• expressive
• revealing
• meaning

Examples of meaningful in a Sentence

The test did not produce any meaningful results.

She looked at him in a meaningful way.

He wanted to feel that his job was meaningful.

The trip turned out to be very meaningful for both of them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Is there an authentic rationale and reason and a connection with your meaningful, authentic connection with your brand, your audience, and that celebrity? —Ben Smith, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026

Wright lambasted wind and solar power, which can be added to the grid relatively quickly, saying the renewable alternatives fail to add anything meaningful to the total capacity of the electricity grid. —Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026

Eric Lee, an immigration attorney who has represented families at Dilley, described a child suffering from appendicitis who collapsed in pain after having been denied meaningful medical attention. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026

While the Redux remains a concept for now, its use of ampliTex represents a meaningful step forward in sustainable vehicle design. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

meaningful

adjective

mean·​ing·​ful ˈmē-niŋ-fəl 

1

: having a meaning or purpose

meaningful work

2

: full of meaning : significant

a meaningful experience

meaningfully

-fə-lē 

adverb