inconsequential

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈkwen(t)-shəl How to pronounce inconsequential (audio)
Definition of inconsequentialnext
1
as in minor
lacking importance that's an inconsequential problem compared to the other issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention an inconsequential error that does nothing to lessen the value of the report

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unreasonable
not using or following good reasoning an inconsequential line of argument that did little to further the prosecution's case

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 inconsequential His allies brought over 60 court cases in six battleground states and lost all but one inconsequential case. — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 16 July 2026 Kelly shrugged it off as a relatively inconsequential data point. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026 Pochettino pointed out on numerous occasions in the press conference how the team had already wrapped up first place in the group, making the outcome here inconsequential. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 1 July 2026 While a group of plastic surgeons may seem niche and inconsequential, the statement has contributed to a de facto nationwide ban. — Kavitha Ranganathan, STAT, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for inconsequential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inconsequential
  1. minor
  2. nominal
  3. unreasonable
  4. small
  5. slight
  6. irrational
  7. little
  8. trivial
Adjective
  • Many higher education institutions have started offering classes focused on the burgeoning content creation industry over the past couple years, and several have certificate or minor programs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • On Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two identical incidents of drone strikes on tankers in Hormuz a day earlier, causing minor damage but no casualties.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Rather than source a direct, probably expensive, replacement in the market, Carrick fielded a fluid front four on Saturday, with Bryan Mbeumo deputising as the nominal forward.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • United Russia, the country’s nominal ruling party, was never built to designate an heir; rather, it was meant to ensure that elections produced reliably pro-regime seat-fillers in institutions such as parliament.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • The standard is very low, and that is 'more probable than not' that this child may have been put in an unreasonable risk of harm.
    — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In such an environment, Fundstrat’s Tom Lee has argued that the S & P 500 can climb to 8,000 over the next few weeks, a level that is not too unreasonable given that the broader index was last trading around 7,750 — only 3% away.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of unreasonable
Adjective
  • The merch was originally made for OpenAI employees to purchase on an internal site, but the team decided to make a small capsule collection available to the public.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Rival online retailers Ozon and Yandex Market use smaller depots spread over a wider network.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Nashville was a slight favorite at kickoff, but Miami fielded a stellar starting lineup that included Sergio Reguilón, Casemiro, Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suárez and Messi.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • At the slightest security alert, every point along the route can be brought to a standstill.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • The policy is particularly irrational when applied to bicyclists and pedestrians.
    — Jeffrey T. Donner, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
  • For all the film focuses on Carlson’s irrational attempts to peg the murder on gay people, the actual gay man Tom disappears from the narrative for long periods of time.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 July 2026
Definition of irrational
Adjective
  • The opening of an Auberge Collection property in the little town of Los Olivos is further proof of the area's status as a preeminent New World wine destination.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • So far, none of those efforts has been successful, and opponents say hunting would do little to address the most problematic bears that tend to live closer to residential neighborhoods.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • And once Anthropic tells the world how to identify these watermarks, building a system to remove them would be trivial.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Duration is a decent hedge against a labor market recession and a poor hedge against a stagflationary drift, and right now the odds of the second scenario are not trivial.
    — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of trivial

Browse Nearby Words

inconsequent
inconsequential
inconsequentiality
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Cite this Entry

“Inconsequential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inconsequential. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inconsequential

Nglish: Translation of inconsequential for Spanish Speakers

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