nothingness

noun

noth·​ing·​ness ˈnə-thiŋ-nəs How to pronounce nothingness (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being nothing: such as
b
: utter insignificance
c
: death
2
: something insignificant or valueless
3

Examples of nothingness in a Sentence

He was staring into nothingness. The sound faded into nothingness.
Recent Examples on the Web Along the horizon, the road meets a billow of clouds, then fades to a white nothingness. Judi Ketteler, Good Housekeeping, 7 Mar. 2023 Not only the nothingness of his father, the physical presence, but no explanation, no leads as to who did this. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 16 May 2023 Mandler and his crew construct some striking images too, taking advantage of the stark New Mexico landscape to frame characters cleanly against a vast expanse of nothingness. Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2023 Get comfortable while your worries effortlessly vanish into nothingness. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2023 The clusters will survive, but each one will become an island universe, effectively alone in a vast expanse of nothingness. Popular Mechanics, 6 June 2023 When she was born, all of this dissolved into nothingness. Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, Peoplemag, 31 May 2023 Built for vehicles outfitted for rough conditions, long stretches of nothingness and rutted dirt far removed from the nearest service station, the road runs through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 21 Apr. 2023 Photograph: Getty Images In classical physics, a vacuum is a total void—a true manifestation of nothingness. Katrina Miller, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nothingness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nothingness was circa 1631

Dictionary Entries Near nothingness

Cite this Entry

“Nothingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nothingness. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

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