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Definitions

meaningful

[mee-ning-fuhl] / ˈmi nɪŋ fəl /
ADJECTIVE
significant
Synonyms
STRONGEST
consequential essential important purposeful relevant serious substantial useful valid worthwhile
WEAK
allusive big clear concise considerable deep eloquent exact explicit expressive heavy indicative intelligible material momentous pointed pregnant sententious succinct suggestive weighty
Antonyms
STRONGEST
insignificant little minor nonessential small trivial unimportant unsubstantial worthless
WEAK
meaningless useless

Usage

What are other ways to say meaningful? When describing forms of expression, the adjectives meaningful and significant imply an underlying and unexpressed thought whose existence is plainly shown although its precise nature is left to conjecture. Meaningful implies a secret and intimate understanding between the persons involved: Meaningful looks passed between them. Significant suggests conveying important or hidden meaning: On hearing this statement, he gave the officers a significant glance. Expressive suggests conveying, or being capable of conveying, a thought, intention, emotion, etc., in an effective or vivid manner: an expressive gesture.  Suggestive implies an indirect or covert conveying of a meaning, sometimes mentally stimulating, sometimes verging on impropriety or indecency: a suggestive story or remark.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Parents have told the BBC about how they try to prioritise meaningful ways to connect with their children, as busy schedules, rising living costs and the pull of technology continue to dominate family life.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“We are determined to learn from what happened, and to ensure inclusion and belonging for all is meaningful in practice as well as in principle,” the statement concluded.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

And the Terafab collaboration “serves as meaningful symbolic validation” that Intel’s 18A chip process node is gaining credibility on the commercial side, Acree added.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

The analyst added that if SBA sells at that valuation, it will “doom the industry to that ceiling for a meaningful time.”

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

It was a mandate to seek out young people whose best qualities might otherwise be overlooked and to give them a chance to do something meaningful.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Vocabulary lists containing meaningful

Power Suffix: -ful

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Very Necessary: Synonyms for "Important"

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-ful

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