adjective
Usage
What are other ways to say inane? Something inane lacks sense, significance, or ideas. Do you know when to use inane, fatuous, silly, foolish, stupid, and asinine? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- inanely adverb
Etymology
Origin of inane
First recorded in 1655–65, inane is from the Latin word inānis
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.
But Tuason’s eye for horror framing and ear for chilling sound work make the film’s inane elements easy to overlook — at least for a while.
From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026
With his inane bleating on television about taking over the world, Graham sounded unhinged.
From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026
After all, I am only in the store a few minutes a week and can readily suck it up and ignore the discombobulatingly inane strains of “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” blaring overhead.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025
Privately, they have explained to me that it is the manager’s decision to blast inane, Paleolithic Rick Astley tunes at ear-shattering volumes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025
Due to his upbringing, Hugh sits through inane movies never realizing that they're often based on inane television shows.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
