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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This reduces reverse logistics costs, eliminates unnecessary carbon emissions and ensures those items serve a purpose locally.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
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In the end, Johnson relied on a combination of White House pressure, late-night negotiations and a reluctant coalition of Republicans and Democrats who agreed that prolonging the shutdown would inflict unnecessary harm on federal workers and the broader economy.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needless. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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