Meaningful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈmē-niŋ-fəl/ mean·ing·ful

Meaning & Definition of Meaningful

Meaningful (adjective)

  1. having a meaning or purpose
  2. full of meaning, significant
  3. having an assigned function in a language system

Meaningful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. clearly conveying a special meaning (as one's mood)

    "gave a meaningful sigh when I asked her how things were going"

    similar: eloquent, expressive, meaning, pregnant, revealing, revelatory, significant, suggestive
    related: graphic, pictorial, vivid, evocative, redolent, reminiscent, sententious, weighty, flavorful, full-bodied, rich
    opposite: blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant

  2. having great meaning or lasting effect

    "his time in office was too brief to accomplish anything meaningful"

    similar: big, consequential, earth-shattering, earthshaking, eventful, historic, important, major, material, momentous, monumental, much, significant, substantial, tectonic, weighty
    related: decisive, fatal, fateful, strategic, earnest, grave, heavy, serious, sincere, distinctive, exceptional, impressive, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, valuable, worthwhile, worthy, distinguished, eminent, great, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, preeminent, prestigious, famous, notorious, renowned, all-important, central, critical, crucial, essential, key, pivotal, seminal, vital
    opposite: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, small, trifling, trivial, unimportant
    near: paltry, petty, worthless, anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknown

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Meaningful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Meaningful:

eloquent, expressive, meaning, pregnant, revealing, revelatory, significant, suggestive, big, consequential, earth-shattering, earthshaking, eventful, historic, important, major, material, momentous, monumental, much, substantial, tectonic, weighty

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Meaningful

Words with the opposite meaning of Meaningful:

blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, little, minor, negligible, slight, small, trifling, trivial, unimportant

Related Words for Meaningful

graphic, pictorial, vivid, evocative, redolent, reminiscent, sententious, flavorful, full-bodied, rich, decisive, fatal, fateful, strategic, earnest, grave, heavy, serious, sincere, distinctive, exceptional, impressive, outstanding, prominent, remarkable, valuable, worthwhile, worthy, distinguished, eminent

Near Antonyms of Meaningful

paltry, petty, worthless, anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknown

Word Forms of Meaningful

Derived words: meaningfully (adverb), meaningfulness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Meaningful

First known use: 1852

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Meaningful

Frequently Asked Questions about Meaningful

What does "Meaningful" mean?

"Meaningful" means having a meaning or purpose. As an adjective, it is defined as: having a meaning or purpose. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Meaningful"?

Other words for "Meaningful" include eloquent, expressive, meaning, pregnant, revealing, revelatory, significant and suggestive. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Meaningful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Meaningful"?

There are 72 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Meaningful". Common alternatives include eloquent, expressive, meaning, pregnant, revealing, revelatory, significant, suggestive, big and consequential.

What is the opposite of "Meaningful"?

Antonyms of "Meaningful" include blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant, inconsequential and inconsiderable. Near antonyms include paltry, petty, worthless and anonymous.

How do you use "Meaningful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Meaningful" in a sentence: "gave a meaningful sigh when I asked her how things were going"; "his time in office was too brief to accomplish anything meaningful".

Is "Meaningful" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Meaningful" is an adjective.

Is "Meaningful" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Meaningful" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Meaningful"?

"Meaningful" is pronounced /ˈmē-niŋ-fəl/ and divided into syllables as mean·ing·ful.