Zinvolle

Zinvolle is a Dutch adjective meaning meaningful, purposeful, or valuable. It is used to describe actions, plans, statements, or contributions that have clear sense or value. Common collocations include zinvolle bijdrage (a meaningful contribution), zinvolle oplossing (a viable/meaningful solution), and zinvolle discussie (a meaningful discussion).

The word is derived from zin (sense, meaning) and the suffix -vol (full of). It belongs to a family of adjectives that express value and relevance, alongside betekenisvol (significant) and zinvol as the base form used in predicative position. The related antonyms include zinloos (pointless) and onzinnig (nonsensical). In use, zinvolle emphasizes practical sense and relevance to a goal, rather than mere popularity or emotional appeal.

Grammatical note: In Dutch, zinvolle is typically used in attributive position before a noun: een zinvolle bijdrage, een zinvolle discussie. In predicative position, after a linking verb, the base form is used: Dat is zinvol.

In contemporary Dutch, zinvolle appears across contexts such as education, media, policy discourse, and corporate communication, where speakers want to mark that an idea, action, or initiative has substantive value or purpose. It is often preferred in formal or written language, though it also occurs in everyday speech when a speaker wants to stress meaningful relevance.