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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.

The researchers stressed that while the increased risks are statistically meaningful, the overall risk for any one patient remains low.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

Overall, they concluded the approach does slow Alzheimer's disease, but not by enough to make a meaningful difference to patients.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

“We’ve kind of tilted the probability…It could change the competitive balance. But, that requires that a meaningful remedy follows the liability. You need both.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Now, after years of hemorrhaging money and struggling to find a meaningful television audience in the U.S.,

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

He was followed in power by a succession of other leaders, none of whom instituted policies aimed at bringing about meaningful change.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

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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