1
as in null
having no legal or binding force
the congressional resolution has symbolic value only, as it relates to a matter governed by the states and is thus nugatory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
lacking importance
the book is entertaining, but its contributions to Shakespearean scholarship are nugatory
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of nugatory
Women directors abound in the S&S list: Two Akermans, two Agnès Vardas (none by her husband Jacques Demy, a superior artist), a nugatory Jane Campion soap opera, Vera Chitilová’s obscure Czech feminist screed, etc.
—
Armond White, National Review, 7 Dec. 2022
But the benefits to Russia longer term could be nugatory.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Week, 4 Mar. 2022
It could be used to rationalize stealing the pennies from a dead man’s eyes, true, even considering the nugatory value of the contemporary penny.
—Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Yet all of these questions seem, increasingly, merely nostalgic, nugatory, in the face of the dissolution of the common solidarity of principles that had once made the liberation happen.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 June 2019
Armond White, National Review, 7 Dec. 2022
But the benefits to Russia longer term could be nugatory.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Week, 4 Mar. 2022
It could be used to rationalize stealing the pennies from a dead man’s eyes, true, even considering the nugatory value of the contemporary penny.
—Marilynne Robinson, The New York Review of Books, 27 May 2020
Yet all of these questions seem, increasingly, merely nostalgic, nugatory, in the face of the dissolution of the common solidarity of principles that had once made the liberation happen.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nugatory
Adjective
-
Trump had previously signed an executive order on his first day in office announcing that tax deals agreed upon between the Biden administration and the OECD were null.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
27 June 2025
-
Even basic tasks, like knowing the password to a legacy system or understanding why a data table has null values, can be governed by undocumented decisions made years ago.—
Kevin Novak,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Besides the home advantage, Pia Sundhage’s side had a minor edge on goal difference, which meant a draw would be enough for them.—
Neel Shelat,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Right now, a handful of attorneys are exploiting our legal system, filing thousands of cookie-cutter lawsuits against businesses for minor technical violations.—
Aaron Hichman,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
State IDs should indicate eligibility to work, employers should be required to verify that and any payroll reported under invalid documents results in notification and investigation.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
-
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit — including resident Lucy Hurston — are asking a Superior Court judge to declare the May 28 referendum invalid.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
While the headline-grabbing CEOs are interesting, hearing the stories of smaller companies is absolutely fascinating.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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This ultra-lightweight chair weighs just 3 pounds and packs into a carrying case the size of a small purse.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The veteran safety, who turns 27 this month, approaches the final year of his contract (which has a void year in 2026).—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
-
The Philadelphia Flyers filled their center void by signing Christian Dvorak for $5.4 million for next season and also got a goalie in a thin market, signing Dan Vladar for $6.7 million over two years.—
John Wawrow,
Chicago Tribune,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Map out revenue producing divisions by their profit and loss numbers, evaluate direct margins for the division, identify the weakest division that perpetually makes little or no direct margin and sacrifice them.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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But most of the middle part is missing, and there’s little to explain how the event unfolded from one stage to the next.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
The incumbents protect the fort until the fort is worthless (cliche cf.—
Forrester,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Ready for a Vogue cover, a spot on 'ET,' more worthless performative nonsense.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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And when detecting the artist approaching flow, the device would emit a subtle cue — a slight change in the sound of their instrument or the lighting — to give the brain a subconscious boost and thereby accelerate and enhance one’s immersion into flow.—
Brandon Sneed,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2025
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Similarly, Morning Consult's June 27 to 29 poll found 47 percent of respondents approved of Trump's job performance, with 50 percent disapproving—a slight improvement from May's 45 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nugatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nugatory. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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