inane

American  

[ih-neyn] / ɪˈneɪn /

adjective

1. lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly.

   inane questions.

   Synonyms:

   pointless, absurd

2. empty; void.

---

noun

1. something that is empty or void, especially the void of infinite space.

inane British  

/ ɪˈneɪn /

adjective

1. senseless, unimaginative, or empty; unintelligent

   inane remarks

---

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

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

People are going to say the wrong thing, or ask inane questions.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2026

But these explosive yet inane occurrences have become commonplace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 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

From somewhere far away, in the woods, I heard the faint, inane laughter of a woodpecker.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt