one-dimensional

adjective

one-di·​men·​sion·​al ˈwÉ™n-dÉ™-ˈmen(t)-sh(É™-)nÉ™l How to pronounce one-dimensional (audio)
also -dī-
Synonyms of one-dimensionalnext
1
: having one dimension
A straight line is one-dimensional.
The one-dimensional sequence of amino acids is the primary structure.Douglas R. Hofstadter
2
: lacking depth or complexity : superficial
To the audience, the term "sitcom" connoted a lot of one-dimensional stories and characters.Bob Fisher
one-di​mension​ally adverb
a one-dimensionally portrayed character
The pixels were arranged one-dimensionally. [=in a straight line]

Examples of one-dimensional in a Sentence

a one-dimensional analysis of a novel that has a lot to say about personal courage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
David Iserson and Susanna Fogel have talked about how other actors might have played Twila as more one-dimensional, but her grief grounds her to someone real. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 17 June 2026 Others have been more complex one-dimensional layer models, representing an ocean and an atmosphere separately in the math, for example. Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 15 June 2026 In other words, Dorofeyev isn’t considered a one-dimensional scorer anymore. Michael Russo, New York Times, 14 June 2026 According to general relativity, in a rotating black hole, the singularity—the theoretical point of infinite density at the center—is really a one-dimensional ring, with closed timelike curves arcing around it. Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-dimensional

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-dimensional was in 1876

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Cite this Entry

“One-dimensional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-dimensional. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

one-dimensional

adjective
1
: having one dimension
2

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