immaterial

adjective

ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce immaterial (audio)
Definition of immaterialnext
1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter it is only possible to study immaterial forces like gravity by observing their effects on the physical world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irrelevant
not having anything to do with the matter at hand while undoubtedly upsetting, that story is immaterial to the question of why you are late

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of immaterial To the casual observer, the look and feel of shipping containers suggests a world of smooth, lossless transportation, almost immaterial in its implementation of a logistical ideal. — Alexander Klose, Scientific American, 24 July 2026 The money, in Gupta’s view, is immaterial. — April Long, Allure, 24 June 2026 None of these readings are so emphatic as to render the others immaterial, and the pervading ambivalence paired with a steady but creeping pace could turn off viewers who just want a good mystery to solve. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 June 2026 Portofiro and the baroque universe surrounding it—communists on-world, techno-fascists offplanet, and all manner of augmentoids and spooks in the immaterial planes between—can make for a dizzying read. — Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for immaterial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for immaterial
  1. spiritual
  2. irrelevant
  3. incorporeal
  4. metaphysical
  5. nonmaterial
  6. invisible
  7. supernatural
  8. nonphysical
Adjective
  • Each work takes its cues from Vodou spiritual practices in Haiti that are grounded in their African roots.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Since those moments Birmingham has occupied a central space in the physical and spiritual lineage of America's Civil Rights Movement.
    — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Ovitz, meanwhile, asked to be excused from further questioning on the grounds that Ormond’s lawyers were trying to harass him with irrelevant questions.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But three judges added a concurrence that could make the whole thing irrelevant — and finally clear the way for Presnell’s sentence to be carried out.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of irrelevant
Adjective
  • Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Positioned as a large-scale genre event, the series updates the legendary SFX property with a contemporary political and social edge, with Shun Oguri leading the cast as a detective hunting a seemingly incorporeal killer.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of incorporeal
Adjective
  • The best moments on records like Redemption, Blackheart, and Second Line use her knack for grand, metaphysical metaphors to charge her singing with epic stakes.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Our work re-imagines these ancient tombs as theatrical spaces, built to perpetuate a form of metaphysical human experience.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • The author excludes them all, asserting that belief in any kind of nonmaterial, ethereal world lacks empirical support.
    — Denis Alexander, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
  • The first part of the book is committed to a ground-clearing exercise, describing the various concepts of the nonmaterial soul that feature in many different religious belief systems.
    — Denis Alexander, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2023
Definition of nonmaterial
Adjective
  • Unlike a conventional tattoo, whose visible design generally remains until the pigment is removed or altered, PhotoTat lets users switch their tattoos between coloured and nearly invisible states.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Yet as midterm elections draw near, the movement is nearly invisible on the campaign trail and struggling to find a financial or messaging foothold in key races.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of invisible
Adjective
  • Directed by Kei Oikawa and adapted from the popular manga by Nagano, the fantasy feature follows the titular character and companions venturing to a remote island retreat before unraveling a supernatural peril.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • One of the last movie projects actor RJ Mitte worked on was a supernatural thriller filmed in Lawrence, not far from the University of Kansas campus.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of supernatural
Adjective
  • In Ayurveda, Prana, the life force carried by the breath, is understood to nourish both the mind and body and can be viewed as a nonphysical substance, finer than oxygen.
    — Trisha Swift, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
  • In accounting, intangible assets are nonphysical possessions including such things as brands and intellectual property, software, mineral rights ‒ and contracts.
    — Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Definition of nonphysical

Browse Nearby Words

immanent
immaterial
immateriality
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Cite this Entry

“Immaterial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/immaterial. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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