nothingness

noun

noth·​ing·​ness ˈnə-thiŋ-nəs 

1

: the quality or state of being nothing: such as

a

: nonexistence

b

: utter insignificance

c

: death

2

: something insignificant or valueless

3

: void, emptiness

Synonyms

• dead
• deadness
• death
• grave
• lifelessness
• sleep

Examples of nothingness in a Sentence

He was staring into nothingness.

The sound faded into nothingness.

Recent Examples on the Web

To cushion their sinuous eucalyptus forms, the duo came up with their own spin on traditional Banarasi fabric: an archival herringbone motif overlaid with numerical zeros that nod to Brahmagupta, the Hindu mathematician who developed the concept of nothingness in 628 AD. —Mel Studach, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2025

Much of the story seems to be about waiting, and then what happens after that waiting comes to an end: the disappointment, pain, or even nothingness that eventually follows. —Dennis Zhou, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024

In addition, Earth is positively miniscule compared to the vast expanses of nothingness that define the volume of our Solar System. —Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 10 May 2024

Quantum mechanics, the theory governing the infinitesimal world, doesn’t allow for nothingness. —Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1