useless

adjective

use·​less ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
Synonyms of uselessnext
: having or being of no use:
a
: ineffectual
a useless attempt
b
: not doing or not able to do what is needed
a dull, useless knife
An antibiotic is useless in treating this disease.
uselessly adverb
uselessness noun

Synonyms of useless

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Examples of useless in a Sentence

The tent is useless in wet conditions. I made a useless attempt at fixing the leak. Drugs are useless in treating the condition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hiring for learning speed is easier to say than to test for, and a resume is close to useless for it. — Terdawn Deboe, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell took a useless jog around the bases in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this week. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Of course, what's worth the money for one person may be completely useless to someone else, regardless of the cost. — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026 Seventeen-year-old Bria spends her days working at her family’s inn and wishing her magical Gift weren’t utterly useless. — Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for useless

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of useless was in 1593

Browse Nearby Words

use inheritance
useless
usen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

useless

adjective
use·​less ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
: having or being of no use
uselessly adverb
uselessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on useless

Nglish: Translation of useless for Spanish Speakers

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