: 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
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
But at a certain point in adulthood, prayer began to feel useless to me.
—
Terry Ward, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
From certain side sections, the rear screen was nearly useless.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Technically impressive, yes—but scientifically and commercially useless.
—Magnus Resch, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In a generally useless exercise, NFL draft analysts have delivered their annual grades.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
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.
Terry Ward, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
From certain side sections, the rear screen was nearly useless.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Technically impressive, yes—but scientifically and commercially useless.
—Magnus Resch, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In a generally useless exercise, NFL draft analysts have delivered their annual grades.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
Cite this Entry
“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
