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
Example Sentences
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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
-
Trump had previously signed an executive order on his first day in office announcing that tax deals agreed upon between the Biden administration and the OECD were null.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
27 June 2025
-
Even basic tasks, like knowing the password to a legacy system or understanding why a data table has null values, can be governed by undocumented decisions made years ago.—
Kevin Novak,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
More Songs is, in effect, Eno’s debut as a capital-P producer, notwithstanding some minor early efforts and, of course, David Bowie’s landmark sessions for Low and Heroes.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
-
The club insisted Isak was left behind because of a minor thigh problem but The Athletic reported on Thursday sources, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to do so publicly, indicated the forward favoured being omitted amid his uncertain future.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Nunez contract is invalid because it was improperly solicited or procured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 July 2025
-
Maxwell has appealed her case to the Supreme Court, saying her conviction was invalid because of an earlier deal Epstein made with federal prosecutors.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Their overall role is still small but significantly elevated when viewed as part of the non-carbon share.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
His music is treasured by a small but intensely dedicated fanbase that includes more than a few rock legends who came up alongside and after him.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The New Avengers), David Harbour’s Red Guardian saves a little girl only for the villain to disappear her into a dark void seconds later.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Ingold is a prime candidate to fill any leadership void.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Since all the council members sit on the budget committee that voted and heard budget, little, if anything, in the budget is expected to change.—
Scott Wartman,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
-
The 2023 impeachment trial of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was acquitted in a Senate impeachment trial on a range of charges including bribery and abuse of office, appeared to have done little to undermine his standing among voters.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Demand Enterprise-Grade Safeguards Speed is worthless without security.—
Marcin Nowak,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
-
Mamdani’s virality would have been worthless—or, perhaps, impossible—without his laser focus on the high cost of living in New York.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Car buyers are benefiting from a slight downturn in interest rates, too.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
-
The agency also issued forecast alerts of slight sea level changes for the rest of Japan’s coastline.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nugatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nugatory. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
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