as in unnecessary
not needed by the circumstances or to accomplish an end
needless expenditures that pushed the construction project way over budget
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Recent Examples of needless
The murder of George Floyd, never far in the background of the city’s collective memory, has returned to the surface, as one needless murder in the streets recalls another.
—
Scott Meslow, The Verge, 19 Jan. 2026
And those days are, needless to say, long gone.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
Policing experts say officer who fired fatal shots may have placed himself at needless risk by standing in front of Renée Good’s vehicle.
—Mark Berman, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2026
Stay focused to avoid dividing your effort among needless minutiae.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needless
Scott Meslow, The Verge, 19 Jan. 2026
And those days are, needless to say, long gone.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
Policing experts say officer who fired fatal shots may have placed himself at needless risk by standing in front of Renée Good’s vehicle.
—Mark Berman, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2026
Stay focused to avoid dividing your effort among needless minutiae.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needless
unnecessary
Adjective
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For locals, these sheltered passages can also make surfacing almost unnecessary.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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But their efforts are not enough to save this unnecessary sequel that smacks of a cash grab.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needless. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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