as in aimless
having or seeming to have no purpose or reason
I have to go to another purposeless meeting tonight. purposeless suffering
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Recent Examples of purposeless
But here’s a question: How much longer can the country afford to lure so many of its promising talents into a life of purposeless paper-pushing and legalized economic vandalism that antitrust has become?
—
Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 10 May 2022
In How To Do Nothing, Jenny Odell talks about how the pursuit of productivity — driven by capitalism, competition, and consumption — has redirected our attention outward, leaving us feeling empty and purposeless.
—refinery29.com, 7 Sep. 2021
Although gender is effectively purposeless—if not irrelevant—in gaming, my brothers reflected society's obsession with forcing others to choose between pink or blue.
—Jamie Valentino, Wired, 22 June 2021
These protests are nearly all disingenuous, false and specious, and meant to utilize fear to continue a tragic and purposeless war.
—Matthew Hoh, CNN, 17 May 2021
In Mazars, Trump may yet be able to convince the lower courts that Congress’s rationale for seeking his financial records is too broad, too partisan, or too purposeless.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 July 2020
Well, given the malignant chaos of a purposeless universe, what’s one little false allegation in the scheme of things?
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2020
Marine biologists had thought that the pelvic bones were purposeless in the marine environment, and would eventually disappear given another million or so years of evolution.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 9 Sep. 2014
Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 10 May 2022
In How To Do Nothing, Jenny Odell talks about how the pursuit of productivity — driven by capitalism, competition, and consumption — has redirected our attention outward, leaving us feeling empty and purposeless.
—refinery29.com, 7 Sep. 2021
Although gender is effectively purposeless—if not irrelevant—in gaming, my brothers reflected society's obsession with forcing others to choose between pink or blue.
—Jamie Valentino, Wired, 22 June 2021
These protests are nearly all disingenuous, false and specious, and meant to utilize fear to continue a tragic and purposeless war.
—Matthew Hoh, CNN, 17 May 2021
In Mazars, Trump may yet be able to convince the lower courts that Congress’s rationale for seeking his financial records is too broad, too partisan, or too purposeless.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 July 2020
Well, given the malignant chaos of a purposeless universe, what’s one little false allegation in the scheme of things?
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2020
Marine biologists had thought that the pelvic bones were purposeless in the marine environment, and would eventually disappear given another million or so years of evolution.
—Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 9 Sep. 2014
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeless
Adjective
-
Beyond aimless brutality or victory, serious practitioners eventually look toward higher principles – even when the desire for glory is powerful.—
Kenneth Andrew Andres Leonardo,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
-
With Saturn conjunct Neptune influencing your 10th house of career and public image, ambiguous (or aimless) dreams will no longer suffice.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
His 2010 Cy Young victory despite a 13-12 record marked a turning point where win-loss record went from being the most important pitcher stat to one that’s borderline meaningless.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Dismissing such conflicts as a grotesque but meaningless assemblage of scandals—the love child of Teapot Dome and Watergate—would be a mistake.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the subsequent stories, Goodman crafts subtle investigations of the relations between siblings, the fine blend of anxiety and pride parents feel for their offspring, and the bemused affection an aunt or uncle might feel for their aimless nieces or haphazard nephews.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The haphazard plot twists itself into knots to include Jeremy Pope’s unfortunately eponymous character, before moving on to far shorter flings with equally monotonous cast members.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Although not a major concern, some minor coastal flooding and beach erosion are possible along the coastline as well.—
Matthew Villafane,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Another person was critically injured, five had serious injuries and eight had minor injuries, officials said.—
Dave Collins,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Sunday dawned sunny and clear with blue skies and little wind, allowing the climb to go ahead.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Carbon nanotube yarns are light yet lift little.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Brown’s statement on Monday was mostly useless corporate-speak.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
This tiny amount of copper acts as a molecular steering wheel, preventing sugar molecules from shattering into useless carbon dioxide.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Heitinga was dismissed as head coach in November, with Ajax sitting pointless at the bottom of the Champions League table after four matches and eight points adrift of Eredivisie league-leaders Feyenoord.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
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Matt Duchene tied the game just under four minutes later on another Stars power play, snapping a five-game scoreless and four-game pointless streak.—
Lia Assimakopoulos,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Additionally, the Patriots had a slight preference for passing in scoring territory.—
Josh Shepardson,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Fans attending Saturday’s game between the Mavericks and Lakers will notice a slight change in protocol for entering American Airlines Center.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purposeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeless. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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