immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

1

: of no substantial consequence : unimportant

2

: not consisting of matter : incorporeal

Synonyms

• bodiless
• ethereal
• formless
• incorporeal
• insubstantial
• nonmaterial
• nonphysical
• spiritual
• unbodied
• unsubstantial

Examples of immaterial in a Sentence

Whether or not he intended to cause problems is immaterial.

The fact that she is a woman is immaterial and irrelevant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Indeed, the excises were largely immaterial to the economic fortunes of manufacturers. —Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024

Whether the ball struck by Shohei Ohtani would have cleared the right-field wall at the Tokyo Dome if some fans hadn’t reached over the railing is immaterial. —Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025

The immaterial places of James Turrell come to mind, as do Larry Bell’s glass boxes, Robert Irwin’s scrim-interiors, and Agnes Martin’s geometric haziness. —Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025

The longshot bill’s fate was made immaterial by Trump’s action Wednesday. —Christian Babcock, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English immaterial, from Late Latin immaterialis, from Latin in- + Late Latin materialis material

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for immaterial

• magisterial
• managerial
• ministerial
• nonmaterial
• presbyterial
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal

Kids Definition

immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌim-ə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

1

: not consisting of matter

2

: not important : insignificant

Legal Definition

immaterial

adjective

im·​ma·​te·​ri·​al ˌi-mə-ˈtir-ē-əl 

: not essential, pertinent, or of consequence

the jury could have discounted the medical history evidence, or while accepting its accuracy, found it immaterial

—Willett v. State, 911 S.W.2d 937 (1995)

compare irrelevant

immateriality

ˌi-mə-ˌtir-ē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun