Nugatory

Nugatory

ˈno͞oɡəˌtôrē

Adjective

  • Of no value or importance.
  • Useless or futile.

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Example Sentences

“This dining set is nugatory, so we can donate it.” 

“He thought his vinyl record collection was nugatory, but it ended up selling for almost $5,000.” 

“It’s nugatory to plan anything that far in advance.”

Word Origin

Latin, early 17th century

Why this word?

Here’s one for anyone suffering through bad dates. If you’ve ever said a variation of “they’re trifling,” you need to learn the word “nugatory.” The root comes from the Latin “nugatorius,” in which “nugari” means “to trifle.” Instead of spending time on nugatory (or useless or futile) dates, you can focus on some self-care instead.

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