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
At first, Sherlock appears to be useless, the black sheep of his family.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
The big risk for Perplexity, however, is if the models themselves become commodities, rendering useless a service that allows users to switch between the AIs for tasks.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
But other people—a lot of other people—will become useless.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
While sowing seeds in winter is a smart way to get a head start on gardening season, doing so too early can stress your seedlings, rendering your efforts useless.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
The big risk for Perplexity, however, is if the models themselves become commodities, rendering useless a service that allows users to switch between the AIs for tasks.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
But other people—a lot of other people—will become useless.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
While sowing seeds in winter is a smart way to get a head start on gardening season, doing so too early can stress your seedlings, rendering your efforts useless.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
Adjective
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The Park Board can issue bonds, something that was impractical for the Port Authority.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Woanger Set of 4 Wicker Storage Baskets Pretty, functional storage solutions are the perfect antidote to impractical minimalism.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Saturday’s game featured a feverish but futile effort marked by a rally from 15 down in the first half, 12 ties and 12 lead changes.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
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Auditor Diana DiZoglio should abandon her futile court case to open the Legislature’s books and instead work on defeating her troika of opponents the old fashioned way – at the ballot box.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For example, Roberts notes that if your kitchen is unusable but the rest of the house is still considered livable, your insurer might provide a temporary solution like a two-burner stove, rather than pay for a full hotel stay.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Mar. 2026
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If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.—
Alex Heard,
Outside,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, and the crew transported the deceased to Dutch Harbor.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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Attempts to contact Hill on Thursday were unsuccessful.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Environmental chemist Cassandra Rauert noted that this technique is currently unsuitable for identifying polyethylene or PVC in human tissue because molecules from human fat can mimic the signal of these plastics.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
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This is a significant issue for a project intended for deep-space mission launches, microgravity research, and space manufacturing – only for it to be found unsuitable for any of those goals, largely due to the presence of the astronauts themselves.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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