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Nugatory - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Nugatory means something is of little or no importance, value, or significance. It describes actions, efforts, or things that are trivial, useless, or ineffective in achieving a meaningful result.

nugatory

/ˈnuːɡəˌtɔːri/ /ˈnjuːɡətəri/

Definition:

Of no value or importance; insignificant or useless.

Synonyms:

trivial, worthless, inconsequential, meaningless

Part of Speech:

adjective

Antonyms:

significant, important, valuable

Common Collocations:

nugatory effort, nugatory argument, nugatory effect

Derivatives:

nugatoriness, nugatorily

Usage Tips:

Use "nugatory" to describe something so trivial it’s practically meaningless, often in formal contexts.

Common Phrases:

nugatory concern, nugatory detail, nugatory remark

Etymology:

From Latin *nugatorius* ("worthless"), derived from *nugae* ("trifles").

Examples:

  • 1. The court dismissed the claim as nugatory and irrelevant.
  • 2. His efforts proved nugatory when the project was canceled.
  • 3. She ignored his nugatory comments during the meeting.
  • 4. The contract’s fine print contained many nugatory clauses.

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