useless

adjective

ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
Definition of uselessnext
1
as in impractical
not capable of being put to use or account a garage full of useless junk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results a useless attempt to reach an agreement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of useless Giving batteries second life EV batteries can lose the capacity needed for driving without becoming useless. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026 Translating The Vision A founder’s vision is directionally right but operationally useless in its raw form. — Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 RoboTena’s useless arms were being dismantled on the warehouse floor. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Cook rushed for 111 yards before his latest fumbling woes for the Bills, while Allen got more than 100 of his yards rushing on scrambles, repeatedly escaping the pocket and rendering useless the Rams’ tenacious secondary coverage. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
  1. impractical
  2. futile
  3. unusable
  4. unsuccessful
  5. unsuitable
Adjective
  • Wearing impractical stilettos and clutching a massive Stanley cup, Trina is introduced to her new pupils.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Their potential applications include modeling advanced materials and chemical reactions, optimizing complex logistics networks and addressing some computational problems that are impractical for today’s systems.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of impractical
Adjective
  • Adelaide’s music had become an argument, however futile, with finality.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Before the court fight was launched, Edwin Benn, the arbitrator who oversaw 2023 contract negotiations between the city and FOP, warned the City Council that any attempt to undermine his award to the union would be futile.
    — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • Predicted in the 1970s by NASA physicist Donald Kessler, this chain of orbital smashups could make the space around Earth unusable and unsafe.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Shows promise in testing This technology turns unusable, high-arsenic copper into valuable inventory, creating new revenue and cutting operating costs.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of unusable
Adjective
  • As the unsuccessful regime-change effort in Iran demonstrated, there are no shortcuts to besting the axis countries, together or individually.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Von Dohlen, a financial adviser and conservative activist who has run three unsuccessful campaigns for City Council, was unopposed in the Republican primary.
    — Katie Bartlett, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • At one unsuitable Gramercy apartment, Taylor encountered Cam Armand, a salesperson on the Kota team at Compass, and the Folwells enlisted his help.
    — Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In a setting designed to make exceptional yachts desirable, explaining why a particular vessel is unsuitable requires commercial discipline.
    — Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsuitable

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useless
uselessness
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Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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