as in senselessly
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Recent Examples of pointlessly
My partner’s refusal to be comforted by this institutional food struck me sometimes as pointlessly obstructive and at other times as a sign of self-respect.
—
Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
Few endeavors could signal virtue as pointlessly or gratuitously.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Rachel Cusk, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025
Few endeavors could signal virtue as pointlessly or gratuitously.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pointlessly
Adverb
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Fifteen innocent souls – including a Holocaust survivor, a rabbi and a child – were senselessly murdered while celebrating the first night of Chanukah, the Festival of Light.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
14 Dec. 2025
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And now, my younger brother who was senselessly murdered 2 days ago.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Be brave, and resist falling back on English Don’t fear being laughed at or scolded for speaking imperfectly, said Massimo Macchiavello, the marketing manager for Posta, a destination management company in Buenos Aires, Argentina.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
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Elections, however imperfectly, compel lawmakers to listen and respond.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Officials in Brussels, Berlin, and Paris viewed early proposals as overly concessive to Moscow, insufficiently safeguarding Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity — particularly regarding Donbas, Crimea, and possible concessions beyond current lines of control.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Those who have recently fallen into homelessness and, with temporary support, have the greatest chance of achieving self-sufficiency are typically deemed insufficiently vulnerable.—
Christopher Calton,
Oc Register,
4 Dec. 2025
Adverb
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The attorney general's office also said, because the district did not show how the plaintiffs could only inadequately represent them, intervention of right was not an available option, and that intervention would unnecessarily prolong the case.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Jan. 2026
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The titular role highlighted her distinctive looks and personality including long blonde hair and an attitude sometimes inadequately described as pouty.—
IndieWire Staff,
IndieWire,
28 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pointlessly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pointlessly. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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