What's the difference between meaningless and pointless?

Meaningless


Definition:

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Even if it were not the case that police use a variety of tricks to keep recorded crime figures low, this data would still represent an almost meaningless measure of the extent of crime in society, for the simple reason that a huge proportion of crimes (of almost all sorts) have always gone unreported.
  • (2) Its experiments are so hopelessly flawed that the results are meaningless."
  • (3) "The hollow words of praise from the home secretary are meaningless today.
  • (4) The concept of "polypharmacy", a pejorative and meaningless term, nevertheless gave rise to useful surveys on combined drug use, to methods of monitoring and controlling multiple drug use, and to a small number of studies which imply that a few psychoactive drug-drug combinations are rational.
  • (5) He shrugs in bemusement at what is, to him, a meaningless compliment.
  • (6) Here the meaninglessness of material not only favoured its omission but also often indicated important psychopathology.
  • (7) Good mental health brings with it a whole lot of goodies in Santa’s stocking, because after all, physical fitness and wealth are meaningless without it.
  • (8) We should strip our own national anthem back, and replace the lyrics with our own best-known meaningless word – “oi!” Unless of course Big Liz turns up, and then we can stick in those other words – but she’s not going to, is she?” Netherlands – Tinchy Stryder Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tinchy Stryder has had two UK No1 singles, Number 1 and Never Leave You.
  • (9) Used appropriately, this approach should result in better studies of laboratory tests and fewer meaningless negative studies.
  • (10) On the other hand, the debate for or against abortion is meaningless to the extent that most women seeking abortions are to some degree "against" abortion.
  • (11) Opinion was divided: was it a real day, or a meaningless exercise in flag-waving, with foreign troops still deployed in their homeland?
  • (12) Former Labour science minister Lord Sainsbury said any assurances would be "frankly meaningless" given Pfizer's history of asset-stripping.Allan Black, of the GMB union which represents workers at AstraZenea's Macclesfield factory, said of Pfizer's latest pledges: "Similar undertakings were given by US multinationals before which have proved to be worthless."
  • (13) Our observations indicated that the coronary reserve capacity was very important for ventricular pacing, and suggested that an undue increment of the pacing rate not only might be meaningless but also might induce ischemic angina.
  • (14) No significant difference in response and survival was found between AM and CM groups (complete remission rates were 35% vs 42%, and 10 year survival rates were 31% vs 19%, respectively), but the prevalence of stages III-IV in patients treated with AM makes these results meaningless.
  • (15) Some are also concerned that British citizenship can be stripped from individuals whose other nationality is meaningless to them.
  • (16) – to create a message so simple it’s virtually meaningless.
  • (17) Each sentence seems more absurd than the last until you are finally and irredeemably overwhelmed by its relentless meaningful meaninglessness.
  • (18) But as neighbouring Libya descended into chaos and Islamic State began operating there, those restrictions became virtually meaningless.
  • (19) The answer, I think, is: bankers, bailed out; the royal family, whose income has risen in this recession thanks to the intervention of the chancellor; and those who should bridge the tax gap, estimated at £32bn in 2010-11 by HMRC, but don't, and are only punished with a froth of meaningless rhetoric.
  • (20) Or if there are, they are meaningless and entirely ineffective; they might, in fact, just as well not be lying about at all until the prospector - the journalist - puts them into relation with other facts: presents them in other words.

Pointless


Definition:

  • (a.) Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as, a pointless sword; a pointless remark.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The citizenship debate is tawdry, conflated and ultimately pointless | Richard Ackland Read more On Wednesday, the prime minister criticised lawyers for backing terrorists.
  • (2) It’s the same story over and over.” Children’s author Philip Ardagh , who told the room he once worked as an “unprofessional librarian” in Lewisham, said: “Closing down a library is like filing off the end of a swordfish’s nose: pointless.” 'Speak up before there's nothing left': authors rally for National Libraries Day Read more “Today proves that support for public libraries comes from all walks of life and it’s not rocket science to work out why.
  • (3) But now the document turns crazily surreal, like the pointless war itself.
  • (4) And David Ngog was a pointless signing too – one which puzzled us all.
  • (5) "It is pointless to think sovereign bond rates could be brought down for an extended period of time by outside interventions," said Draghi.
  • (6) They aren't pointless; apart from any craft they may teach, they can also offer connections and contacts – a "way in" – which is the modern essential of anyone trying to start a career.
  • (7) An Australian family that lost three children and a grandfather in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has published an emotional tribute calling for an end to the “pointless war” in eastern Ukraine.
  • (8) People are criticising what we are doing as pointless and saying we won’t achieve anything, but history has shown us that is not the case,” student leader Joshua Wong told the crowd last week.
  • (9) It is pointless to go back over the missed opportunities, but an essential part of the design of this regional conference is that it should be able to be supported by Russia and China as well as the US.
  • (10) Hoodies don't vote, they've realised it's pointless, that whoever gets elected will just be a different shade of the "we don't give a toss about you" party.
  • (11) Bojórquez, the editor, says that for the moment the risks are manageable within his commitment to the idea that journalism is pointless unless it informs.
  • (12) The others are either infuriatingly vague (“An NHS with time to care”) or pointlessly catch-all (“A country where the next generation can do better than the last”).
  • (13) Especially when there’s no funeral to go to, just an endless stream of pointless review meetings.
  • (14) "If this doesn't bring down mortgage rates for 95% loans then the whole thing is completely pointless," he said.
  • (15) To express guarded optimism about the Greek deal is not to condone the provocative arrogance of former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis or the pointless vindictiveness of the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble .
  • (16) The PCC came under fire last week from the editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, who branded its report on phone hacking at the News of the World "worse than pointless".
  • (17) 3 Don’t be afraid to talk about corruption Poverty overseas is often associated with corruption: 67% of the British public think that government corruption makes donating to reduce poverty “pointless” (up from 48% in 2008), according to research from Jennifer and David Hudson.
  • (18) But it's a pointless endeavour if the fundraising activity contributes to and compounds the culture in which our breasts are only relevant if they're being admired by someone else's eyes.
  • (19) Quibbling over whether fashion is more or less important than art is just as pointless as questioning whether or not it is art.
  • (20) Why should Paris or Berlin waste political capital - they have suspicious voters too - on concessions to Britain when it may all be pointless?