invaluable
adjective
Did you know?
invaluable = valuable?
Many people find it confusing that the in- prefix at the beginning of invaluable apparently lacks the meaning "not" found in a number of other words, such as invalid, inarticulate, and insane. In fact, the prefix does indicate negation, but in a way that is not immediately obvious. The original (and current) meaning of invaluable is "valuable beyond estimation"; the word describes something so precious that one cannot assign a price to it. This, clearly, is the opposite of the meaning "having no value; valueless" that the word might seem to carry. Invaluable actually has been recorded in the sense "without value," but such use has been exceedingly rare and is practically nonexistent today.
Examples of invaluable in a Sentence
Oliver Sacks, New York Review of Books, 25 Sept. 2008
… the scrolls provide an invaluable snapshot of at least one important strain in early Judaism—though they are by no means a complete record of Jewish belief at that time.
—Jeremy Lott, Lingua Franca, February 2001
I stayed there only a month or so but it was an invaluable experience … : that month's residence provided the inspiration for a novel I wrote much later, Sophie's Choice.
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
Their help has been invaluable to us.
the list of likely donors proved to be invaluable to our fund-raising efforts
Kevin Williams, CNBC, 30 Nov. 2025
One of the best groundball pitchers in baseball, Valdez is an innings-eater who is invaluable for the regular season, who also has plenty of experience pitching well in October.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
John’s husband and two sons have been an invaluable crutch for him during this period, as well as his brethren of rockers who enjoy frequently checking in on their mate.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
The island is known for its beautiful landscapes and historic pottery traditions, but there’s also an incredible culinary scene showcasing Sifnos’ invaluable contributions to Greek cuisine that’s well worth your attention.
—Petros Zissimos, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invaluable
Cite this Entry
“Invaluable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invaluable. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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