INANITY Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

inanity

noun

i-ˈna-nə-tē

Definition of inanity

as in insanity

a foolish act or idea quickly realized that her suggestion was an inanity and withdrew it

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in madness

lack of good sense or judgment the jaw-dropping inanity of the singer's comments on the awards show

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 inanity In fact, Poppick seems determined to prove that submerging yourself in the inanity of the grindset can pay creative dividends. — Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026 Moira was O’Hara in full sketch mode, charging each elaborate costume and line of dialogue with so much inanity the character should never have been believable as a real person. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026 In which SpongeBob and Gary the Snail have a conversation about string cheese, and the Flying Dutchman goes crazy at the sheer inanity of it. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025 The inanity and nihilism is still there, but tinged with something darker and more permanent, a sense that the rules of capitalism changed. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inanity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inanity

Noun

Fewer than one per cent of Americans charged with felonies plead insanity, and the great majority of those who do have previously been hospitalized with a serious psychiatric condition.

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
And the polarizing trial of Lindsay Clancy, a labor-and-delivery nurse who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity after killing her three children in 2023, has captivated the country since July.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of insanity

Noun

With one of the regional sites next April moving from Bridgeport to PeoplesBank Arena, and another regional scheduled for Springfield, UConn has a chance to really extend the madness past March around here.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Prison interviews and recovered footage slowly reveal how deeply entangled the two men had become in their shared madness.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of madness

Noun

It’s been a classic staple over decades of British comedy, which from Basil Fawlty to David Brent has rejoiced in puncturing pomposity to reveal idiocy and incompetence.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
The school board’s radical idiocy does not negate the state’s obligation to think about the longer haul — specifically, the structurally unbalanced budgets facing Chicago Public Schools as far as the eye can see.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of idiocy

Noun

Black Beans and Sausage The simplicity of this dish allows the true flavors of each ingredient to shine through, meaning the earthy black beans won’t get lost in translation, even when paired with smoky sausage.

— Riley Wofford, Martha Stewart, 17 Sep. 2026
Ebicos Those who don't mind a permanent camper installation might prefer the simplicity of the Happy Dreamer Electric, which deploys and retracts with a single push of a button.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026