1
as in null
having no legal or binding force
the congressional resolution has symbolic value only, as it relates to a matter governed by the states and is thus nugatory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
lacking importance
the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of nugatory
Women directors abound in the S&S list: Two Akermans, two Agnès Vardas (none by her husband Jacques Demy, a superior artist), a nugatory Jane Campion soap opera, Vera Chitilová’s obscure Czech feminist screed, etc.
—
Armond White, National Review, 7 Dec. 2022
But the benefits to Russia longer term could be nugatory.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Week, 4 Mar. 2022
It could be used to rationalize stealing the pennies from a dead man’s eyes, true, even considering the nugatory value of the contemporary penny.
—Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Yet all of these questions seem, increasingly, merely nostalgic, nugatory, in the face of the dissolution of the common solidarity of principles that had once made the liberation happen.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 June 2019
Armond White, National Review, 7 Dec. 2022
But the benefits to Russia longer term could be nugatory.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Week, 4 Mar. 2022
It could be used to rationalize stealing the pennies from a dead man’s eyes, true, even considering the nugatory value of the contemporary penny.
—Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Yet all of these questions seem, increasingly, merely nostalgic, nugatory, in the face of the dissolution of the common solidarity of principles that had once made the liberation happen.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nugatory
Adjective
-
In some cases, the IRS system did not verify whether a five- or nine-digit number was actually a valid ZIP code, meaning entries with placeholder or otherwise invalid address information could still pass the initial screen.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Of the 40,992 permits his office has audited so far, about 4,707, or just over 11%, were canceled for invalid claims.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The dog and another dog of theirs that came outside when the woman first opened the door are expected to recover from minor injuries suffered.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
OpenAI was reportedly served with a subpoena seeking information about its approach to advertising, consumer and health data, minor and senior users and models, among other activities.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The challenge is only open to entrants in states where Benjamin Franklin Plumbing’s businesses are located and is void where prohibited.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Sweepstakes or website, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The national initiative is awarding more than $10 million to help small businesses grow, innovate, and strengthen their local communities, a spokesperson from the grant program said.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
Supporting small businesses also played a major role in her strategy.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sandia Mountain, the aerial tramway to the peak, the fancy resort and casino, but don’t sleep on little Pueblo of Isleta south of town.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
For all of its massive successes, and for all of the fame, money, and love generated by this Broadway juggernaut, 125 years later the biggest lasting impact of Florodora is this spicy and fruity little cocktail, created for one particular girl in a particularly imperious mood.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Radical approaches to what is precious and what is worthless—or appraisal—have always been more than the inversion of that which is useless made priceless, what was originally meant to be ephemeral made timeless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
That essence of the girl who feels worthless and fears she’ll be found out by everyone still exists in Yasmin in Season 4.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
As long as the overall drink remains sufficiently boozy, cocktails that contain citrus—such as margaritas, daiquiris, and cosmopolitans—can also work well or just require a few slight tweaks.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
The camera caught Maher staring at the stage with a slight smile, seemingly unsure how to react.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
When a mysterious man in a Hawaiian shirt (Joseph Tudisco) comes up behind Ron brandishing a pipe, the show’s right to take its mood so seriously — even about something as potentially trivial as chairs, and even about a protagonist as potentially trivial as Ron.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
9 June 2026
-
That breadth of integration is not trivial.—
David Chou,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nugatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nugatory. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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