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

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.
Machado’s property — a 32-acre site where the explosion occurred — was rendered useless in the blast, Fischer said. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026 Trump rips Pope Leo for hosting 'useless' Brandon Johnson at the Vatican. FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 And being a humanitarian, useless. CBS News, 31 May 2026 Here, too, our City Council representatives were useless. Chicago Tribune, 28 May 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

Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

useless

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

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