nugatory

adjective

nu·ga·to·ry ˈnü-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce nugatory (audio)

ˈnyü-

: of little or no consequence : trifling, inconsequential

comments too nugatory to merit attention

: having no force : inoperative

The law was unenforced and thus rendered nugatory.

Did you know?

Nugatory, which first appeared in English in the 17th century, comes from the Latin adjective nugatorius and is ultimately a derivative of the noun nugae, meaning "trifles." Like its synonyms vain, idle, empty, and hollow, nugatory means "without worth or significance." But while nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance ("a monarch with nugatory powers," for example), vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value (as in "vain promises"). Idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect (as in "idle speculations"). Empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or genuineness (as in "an empty attempt at reconciliation" or "a hollow victory").

Example Sentences

the congressional resolution has symbolic value only, as it relates to a matter governed by the states and is thus nugatory the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory

Recent Examples on the Web 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

nugatory

adjective

as in invalid

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

invalid
null
void
inoperative
illegal
nonbinding
useless
worthless
null and void
ineffectual
bad
ineffective
nonvalid

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

valid
good
legal
binding
working

as in minor

lacking importance the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory

Synonyms & Similar Words

minor
small
worthless
little
trifling
trivial
unimportant
frivolous
slight
inconsiderable
incidental
inconsequential
insignificant
foolish
negligible
petty
minute
fiddling
small-fry
neither here nor there
Mickey Mouse
jerkwater
obscure
paltry
anonymous
unknown
one-horse
nickel-and-dime
nameless
uncelebrated
small-time

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

substantial
consequential
important
significant
meaningful
weighty
momentous
fatal
major
eventful
decisive
material
big
valuable
worthy
dominant
chief
principal
overbearing
remarkable
impressive
worthwhile
fateful
outstanding
exceptional
overriding
eminent
distinctive
overmastering
prominent
unfrivolous
essential
illustrious
distinguished
great
fundamental
basic
notorious
famous
prestigious
key
renowned
preeminent
all-important

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of nugatory are empty, hollow, idle, otiose, and vain. While all these words mean "being without worth or significance," nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance.

a monarch with nugatory powers

Both empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness.

an empty attempt at reconciliation

a hollow victory

While in some cases nearly identical to nugatory, idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect.

idle speculations

The synonyms otiose and nugatory are sometimes interchangeable, but otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity.

a film without a single otiose scene

In some situations, the words vain and nugatory are roughly equivalent. However, vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value.

vain promises

单词	nugatory
释义	nugatory adjective nu·ga·to·ry ˈnü-gə-ˌtȯr-ē ˈnyü- 1 : of little or no consequence : trifling, inconsequential comments too nugatory to merit attention 2 : having no force : inoperative The law was unenforced and thus rendered nugatory. Did you know? Nugatory, which first appeared in English in the 17th century, comes from the Latin adjective nugatorius and is ultimately a derivative of the noun nugae, meaning "trifles." Like its synonyms vain, idle, empty, and hollow, nugatory means "without worth or significance." But while nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance ("a monarch with nugatory powers," for example), vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value (as in "vain promises"). Idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect (as in "idle speculations"). Empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or genuineness (as in "an empty attempt at reconciliation" or "a hollow victory"). Synonyms bad inoperative invalid nonbinding nonvalid null null and void void See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the congressional resolution has symbolic value only, as it relates to a matter governed by the states and is thus nugatory the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory Recent Examples on the Web 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 Word History Etymology Latin nugatorius, from nugari to trifle, from nugae trifles First Known Use 1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Legal Definition nugatory adjective nu·ga·to·ry ˈnü-gə-ˌtōr-ē, ˈnyü- : being without operative legal effect held that such an interpretation would render the statute nugatory History and Etymology for nugatory Latin nugatorius, from nugari to trifle, from nugae trifles nugatory adjective 1 as in invalid 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 Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance invalid null void inoperative illegal nonbinding useless worthless null and void ineffectual bad ineffective nonvalid Antonyms & Near Antonyms valid good legal binding working 2 as in minor lacking importance the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory Synonyms & Similar Words minor small worthless little trifling trivial unimportant frivolous slight inconsiderable incidental inconsequential insignificant foolish negligible petty minute fiddling small-fry neither here nor there Mickey Mouse jerkwater obscure paltry anonymous unknown one-horse nickel-and-dime nameless uncelebrated small-time Antonyms & Near Antonyms substantial consequential important significant meaningful weighty momentous fatal major eventful decisive material big valuable worthy dominant chief principal overbearing remarkable impressive worthwhile fateful outstanding exceptional overriding eminent distinctive overmastering prominent unfrivolous essential illustrious distinguished great fundamental basic notorious famous prestigious key renowned preeminent all-important See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of nugatory are empty, hollow, idle, otiose, and vain. While all these words mean "being without worth or significance," nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance. a monarch with nugatory powers Both empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness. an empty attempt at reconciliation a hollow victory While in some cases nearly identical to nugatory, idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect. idle speculations The synonyms otiose and nugatory are sometimes interchangeable, but otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity. a film without a single otiose scene In some situations, the words vain and nugatory are roughly equivalent. However, vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value. vain promises
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nugatory

adjective

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Legal Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser