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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.

A range of policy levers could help stabilize a labor market under mounting strain, particularly those that reinforce a meaningful wage floor and limit further downward pressure on earnings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

But Calli Hauger-Thackery managed it while 22 weeks pregnant on Monday - and points to the race as an "incredible" and "more meaningful" moment in her career.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

By design, the deportation process moves so fast that detainees do not have time to obtain meaningful legal representation — a violation of their constitutional, civil and human rights.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

“Running faster may not seem meaningful at first, but it enables technology transfer,” Du Xiaodi, an Honor engineer behind Lightning, told state media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

When his turn came to speak, he advised the students to find some more meaningful thing to do with their lives than go to work on Wall Street.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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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