useless

adjective

use·​less ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
: having or being of no use:
a
: ineffectual
a useless attempt
b
: not able to give service or aid : inept
uselessly adverb
uselessness noun

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Some of the waste is for procedures that are essentially useless. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024 Jim and Tabitha get into a pretty useless yelling match about how each is behaving. Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 But keep in mind that these meds are useless if a virus, fungus, or allergen is to blame, so don’t expect a prescription in that case. Katie Camero, SELF, 23 Oct. 2024 In the fifth inning of the first game of the 1977 World Series, Major League Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn deputized his second-in-command to tell me the press pass giving me access to the teams’ locker rooms was useless. Melissa Ludtke, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near useless

Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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