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Vacuous

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(pronounced vak-yoo-us or vak-yuh-wus)  adjective

Definition

1. lacking intelligence, thought, or ideas; stupid; inane; expressionless.  2. purposeless; lacking serious occupation; idle.

Main Example

• As predicted by some analysts, Mugabe went through with his sham election--in which he was the only candidate--and took power as Zimbabwe's leader for the sixth time. One wonders why, in the months leading up to the election, leaders of the neighboring African states even bothered to make all those emphatic statements about Mugabe not being allowed to suppress his opposition, and that he would be forced to ensure a free and fair election. They knew full well they didn't have the power to force Mugabe to bow to world opinion, and that their statements were hollow and vacuous.

Workplace Examples

• Today's session was really great. What a contrast from the vacuous meeting yesterday when no one produced a single idea of substance!
• Young Timmy is unusually mature for his age. He even enjoys some of the serious films on PBS--you know, the sort that invariably produce vacuous looks on most kids' faces.

Other Examples

• a colleague commenting: "I don't see any point in inviting Craig to these review sessions. His contribution during an entire two-hour meeting is usually limited to a couple of brief and vacuous comments."
• describing a company's PR person, in whom you've seen no evidence of smarts, as "extremely good looking but vacuous"; psychologists pointing to a high correlation between children's viewing of hours and hours of vacuous programs on television and the development of equally vacuous minds
• somebody leading a life that is intellectually or emotionally vacuous; several film critics calling "10,000 B.C." one of the most vacuous movies of the year so far
• the many vacuous political campaigns that lie ahead this general election year, full of speeches in which candidates will be ambiguous about what they will do for the people, but precise in their allegations against rivals

© 2008 V.J. Singal

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