inane

comparative inaner · comparative more inane · superlative inanest · superlative most inane

1. Lacking sense or meaning, often to the point of boredom or annoyance.

   One could say senseless, inane short-form media dominates social media as of the day.

   3 more examples

   Francesca followed, reluctant enough in her secret; for though she would not have admitted it even to herself, she did shrink from the infliction of the inane solemnities with which her father garnished his discourse—to say nothing of the ungracious reflections which so often glanced at herself.

   1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIX, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 237

   God, if she had to listen to another conversation about some kid she didnʼt know—how Tina J. stole the stage at the talent show or Bobby R. won the tee ball game or any other number of inane accomplishments.

   2020, Brit Bennett, The Vanishing Half, Dialogue Books, page 156

   It sounded to everyone like a typically inane and inexplicable thing humans do, so we moved on.

   2023, Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris, The Eyes and the Impossible, page 30

   Synonyms: silly, fatuous, vapid

2. Purposeless; pointless.

   Vague and inane instincts.

   1832, [Isaac Taylor], Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball, →OCLC

plural inanes

1. That which is void or empty.

   The undistinguishable inane of infinite space.

   1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 13

   1 more example

   […] whom we watch as we watch the clouds careering in the windy, bottomless inane, or read about like characters in ancient and rather fabulous annals.

   1874–1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers, London: C[harles] Kegan Paul & Co., […], published 1881, →OCLC