What does pointless mean?
Word: Pointless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Pointless means having no purpose or use; something that will not lead to any result.
Synonyms: useless, meaningless
Antonyms: meaningful, worthwhile
How do you spell pointless?
Syllables: point - less
Tricky part: Said quickly, the word loses its n, and children write poitless. Point stays whole, every letter of it, before the ending.
Watch out for: poitless, pointtless, poinless
Memory tip: A pencil with no point is pointless: write the whole word point first, n included, and only then add the ending.
Pointless in a sentence
Example 1: It is pointless to switch on the fan during a power cut.
Example 2: Without batteries, the remote control is pointless.
Example 3: He felt the long meeting was pointless because nothing was decided.
Fun Fact
Pointless is also the name of a BBC quiz show in which players try to give correct answers that hardly anyone else thought of.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
point
a) less
b) lass
c) liss
d) les
Show answer
a) less. The suffix less means without, so pointless means without a point or purpose.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
pointless
a) useful
b) futile
c) idle
d) silly
Show answer
a) useful. Something useful has a purpose; futile, idle and silly all lean the other way.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Arguing with the umpire after the match was over seemed poyntless to everyone in the team.
a) match
b) umpire
c) everyone
d) poyntless
Show answer
d) poyntless. In the middle of a word that sound is spelt oi, as in coin; oy usually comes at the end, as in boy.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
tsnoilpes
a) penniless
b) sleepless
c) spotless
d) pointless
Show answer
d) pointless. Spotless has no i or n, sleepless needs three e's and penniless two n's, so only pointless fits.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What would be pointless to do?
a) charging a phone that is almost flat
b) closing the windows before a storm
c) packing a raincoat for the monsoon
d) watering the garden in heavy rain
Show answer
d) watering the garden in heavy rain
2. Which sentence uses pointless correctly?
a) The pointless of the game is to score more goals.
b) She sharpened her pencil until it was pointless.
c) He ran pointless all the way to the school gate.
d) Carrying an umbrella on a cloudless day is pointless.
Show answer
d) Carrying an umbrella on a cloudless day is pointless.
