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Purposelessness: meaning, definitions and examples

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purposelessness

 

[ ˈpɜːrpəsˌlɛsnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

feeling of

The state of being without purpose or aim; lack of meaning or significance.

Synonyms

aimlessness, emptiness, meaninglessness

Examples of usage

  • Her life was filled with purposelessness after she lost her job.
  • He wandered through life with a sense of purposelessness.
Context #2 | Noun

state of

The quality of lacking a clear purpose or goal; aimless or unfulfilled existence.

Synonyms

directionlessness, meaninglessness, void

Examples of usage

  • She was overwhelmed by a sense of purposelessness in her daily routine.
  • The purposelessness of his actions left him feeling lost and directionless.

Translations

Translations of the word "purposelessness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 falta de propósito

🇮🇳 उद्देश्यहीनता

🇩🇪 Zwecklosigkeit

🇮🇩 ketiadaan tujuan

🇺🇦 безцільність

🇵🇱 bezcelowość

🇯🇵 目的のないこと (mokuteki no nai koto)

🇫🇷 absence de but

🇪🇸 falta de propósito

🇹🇷 amaçsızlık

🇰🇷 목적 없음 (mokjeok eobs-eum)

🇸🇦 عدم الغرض

🇨🇿 bezúčelnost

🇸🇰 bezúčelnosť

🇨🇳 无目的 (wú mùdì)

🇸🇮 brezciljnost

🇮🇸 markleysa

🇰🇿 мақсатсыздық

🇬🇪 უმიზნობლობა

🇦🇿 məqsədsizlik

🇲🇽 falta de propósito

Etymology

The word 'purposelessness' originated from the combination of 'purpose' and the suffix '-less', which denotes the absence of something. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-19th century. The concept of purposelessness has been explored in existential philosophy and psychology, highlighting the existential dilemma of finding meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. The feeling of purposelessness can arise from existential concerns, life transitions, or a lack of clear direction in one's goals and aspirations.

See also: multipurpose, purposed, purposeful, purposefully, purposeless, purposelessly, purposes, repurpose, repurposing.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,172, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.