one-dimensional

[ wuhn-di-men-shuh-nl ]

adjective

1. having one dimension only.
2. having no depth or scope:

   a novel with one-dimensional characters.

Word History and Origins

Origin of one-dimensional¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans: “We need to move beyond one-dimensional narratives of exceptionalism.”

From The Daily Beast

Romney is steadfast in constantly casting the election as a one-dimensional referendum on the incumbent president.

From The Daily Beast

Our friendship is one-dimensional: we are both passionately committed to Chen.

From The Daily Beast

Hollywood is comfortable with one-dimensional caricatures of racism.

From The Daily Beast

Franzen is just as critical of self-consciously tricky fiction as he is of “schmaltzy, one-dimensional” fiction.

From The Daily Beast

But in the one-dimensional time the same bit of matter occupies different portions of time.

From Project Gutenberg

In one-dimensional geometry positions and measurements in a single line only are admitted.

From Project Gutenberg

No, not along this line of one-dimensional, linear, simplistic form of determinism.

From Project Gutenberg

That informants have a one-dimensional view of earlier periods in Shoshone history may well be expected.

From Project Gutenberg

A man becoming part of our folklore becomes a fey, one-dimensional, shadow-image of reality.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• peripheral
• shallow
• sketchy
• warped