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

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

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 The tech companies soon scrapped the internal tracking after employees deployed the bots to complete useless tasks, the Financial Times reported. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 July 2026 Despite their groundbreaking technology, these tests still require diagnostic stewardship to use correctly, or their results can be useless, confusing, or even harmful. — Daniel Morgan, STAT, 6 July 2026 The underwater navigation itself is also power-hungry, as the robot has to rely on inertial sensors and acoustic Doppler velocity logging to track its position, since satellite navigation is useless once it's submerged. — New Atlas, 5 July 2026 At any rate, upon election my first official act would be to file legislation to do away with the useless job. — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
  1. impractical
  2. futile
  3. unusable
  4. unsuccessful
  5. unsuitable
Adjective
  • Since this was impractical, the ADA approved the original session but did not advertise it.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • Due to their smaller size, developers hope they can be manufactured more efficiently and deployed in places where large nuclear plants would be impractical.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026
Definition of impractical
Adjective
  • Purists don’t care for the interruption in the game’s natural flow, but resistance remains futile as long as FIFA is in charge of ⌘+F’ing its way through the rule book.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026
  • An unusual scene unfolded at the beach in Los Angeles County on Thursday morning when a man who was wanted by police ran into the water and stayed in for over an hour in a futile attempt to escape, authorities said.
    — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • Kittharath, the Thai police chief, said the single-story bar had four exits, but police were examining whether the two rear exits were blocked or unusable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • These extreme weather changes can cause pavement to expand, crack and warp, rendering some roads unusable until they are repaired.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 July 2026
Definition of unusable
Adjective
  • Joe Kaufman, a counter-terrorism researcher, writer and lecturer, has been an unsuccessful Republican primary or general election candidate in different congressional districts in 2024, 2018, 2016, 2014 and 2012.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2026
  • There was speculation, of course, that Belichick would retire after that one unsuccessful season.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • More than half that land is owned by the district but is unsuitable for farming.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • Planting fruit trees in unsuitable spots may not just produce a poor harvest but could spell disaster for the tree.
    — Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of unsuitable

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Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on useless

Nglish: Translation of useless for Spanish Speakers

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