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
The doors managed to effectively absorb Glock 9mm, 12-guage shotgun and 45-caliber Tommy Gun bullets but were useless against a 17 mm round, an AR-15 or a 50 Cal sniper rifle.
—
Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
In one sense, Henry is the kind of useless man who creates hard times with his own passivity.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin Like many a controversial Y2K trend, the useless hip belt has made its way back into the sartorial zeitgeist with trendsetters like Emily Ratajkowski and Dua Lipa reviving the aesthetic in recent seasons.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025
Rolling up to a deserted Spenser Ranch with what will turn out to be a useless warrant, Bern and Eleanda inspect the sheds.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for useless
Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
In one sense, Henry is the kind of useless man who creates hard times with his own passivity.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 30 Apr. 2025
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin Like many a controversial Y2K trend, the useless hip belt has made its way back into the sartorial zeitgeist with trendsetters like Emily Ratajkowski and Dua Lipa reviving the aesthetic in recent seasons.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025
Rolling up to a deserted Spenser Ranch with what will turn out to be a useless warrant, Bern and Eleanda inspect the sheds.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
Adjective
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Imagine someone championing a project others deem impractical but later becoming the pioneer of a game-changing approach.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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Additionally, much of the country's housing stock is older, making retrofitting AC units both costly and impractical.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Though their efforts were futile, their remains provide remarkable insight into the doomed city’s final moments.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 May 2025
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Through the two-hour journey that makes up the Thunderbolt’s origin story, the audience experiences the way these skilled fighters continue butting heads over the most futile issues.—
Malik Peay,
Essence,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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The goal was to record commercials, but the footage was unusable because Biden was too incoherent.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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By predicting which cases require a human in the loop, an otherwise unusable genAI system will gain the trust needed to unleash it broadly.—
Eric Siegel,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Officials said he was found semiconscious on the River Trail on June 30 but resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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Efforts to refloat the ship during high tide on Thursday were unsuccessful.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Any useless, toxic or otherwise unsuitable man can become a child’s legal father, without being subject to the thorough checks that these women must face.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
23 May 2025
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Advertisement Advertisement Some insects are adapting to changing climates by moving to regions that might have previously been unsuitable.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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