1
as in futility
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in pointlessness
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 uselessness
The fear of uselessness explains why the banker Eric Tao (Ken Leung) leaves a cushy retirement to get back to finance, even at the cost of neglecting his kids.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Holding back tears, Marta called out the uselessness of comparing this season to last year’s championship run.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2025
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Holding back tears, Marta called out the uselessness of comparing this season to last year’s championship run.
—Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uselessness
Noun
-
Clearly, many boys are struggling with a sense of futility.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Before this year’s telecast, that movie’s director, Paul Thomas Anderson, had set a record in futility by racking up 11 Oscar nominations without a win, said Sam Adams in Slate.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Such expeditions can turn into a Buddhistic exercise in enlightened pointlessness.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
If injuries or ineffectiveness hit the rotation, the Angels will have little hope of covering that deficiency with their offense or bullpen.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Stroud’s struggles also contributed to Kirk’s ineffectiveness.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The report amounted to a searing exposé of the meaninglessness of high school grades in California.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The report amounted to a searing exposé of the meaninglessness of high school grades in California.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Problems shrink into insignificance.—
Shilo Urban,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Nov. 2025
-
Her difficulty lay in her distance from the random violence of insignificance.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
All this inanity takes place over the course of a handful of days, during which no one ever seems to change clothes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The music movie tries to capture the insanity and inanity of being a modern celebrity.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Over time, this creates a sense of emptiness, a lack of purpose and significance.—
Arthur C. Brooks
March 22,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The tens of thousands of conference attendees who surged into downtown San Jose this week provided a stark contrast to the typical daytime emptiness, and highlighted the otherwise sluggish recovery of the city’s economically vital conference and convention business.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uselessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uselessness. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
