1
as in impractical
not capable of being put to use or account
a garage full of useless junk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of useless
For years, the trend in consumption was beautiful but useless trash.
—
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
In a joint status report filed last week, Schuman’s lawyers agreed mediation seemed useless.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026
The Ellis Island screening was a useless predictor of the path the immigrant would choose once in the USA .
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2026
But after 60, the objective should change — not because saving is useless, but because the goal changes.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
In a joint status report filed last week, Schuman’s lawyers agreed mediation seemed useless.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2026
The Ellis Island screening was a useless predictor of the path the immigrant would choose once in the USA .
—Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2026
But after 60, the objective should change — not because saving is useless, but because the goal changes.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
Adjective
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But this season, the looks that made the highest impact eschewed function for jaw-dropping, delightfully impractical looks.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
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Testers found the concept impractical due to clothing sleeves and the difficulty of capturing usable camera angles from the wrist.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And after decades of futile wishes, maybe the place is finally ready for a new life — not today, not tomorrow, but in a few feverish years.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
10 Feb. 2026
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The metallic sheets cannot stop the damage Echard seeks to impose on her canvases, much like those tinfoil hats that some use in confused, futile efforts to shield themselves from pernicious invisible forces.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This approach allows the battery to remain responsive and reliable in environments that would normally render standard cells sluggish or unusable, CarNewsChina reports.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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This method also had the practical downside of rendering my colander unusable for straining the rigatoni for my Wednesday-night pasta alla vodka.—
Alma Avalle,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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His work there included an unsuccessful effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, which drew congressional scrutiny.—
Dan Sullivan,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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Attempts to reach Coplan and Jones individually were unsuccessful.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Its old building, constructed in 1939 for the Social Security Board, needed expensive renovations; reportedly had ancient, faulty wiring; was far too big; and was generally unsuitable for modern journalism.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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The list of skilled talent deemed unsuitable by the coaching staff since the spring of 2024 includes the list above, married to names like Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, all of whom were found wanting.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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