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worthless

adjective

ˈwərth-ləs How to pronounce worthless (audio)
Definition of worthlessnext
as in empty
having no usefulness that expensive toy is worthless now that it's broken

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 worthless The referee’s visual countdown may prove worthless if the player trotting off has his back to the official, which will invariably be the case. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 And since Jace’s death, she’s treated Baela as nothing more than a defective surveillance drone — a worthless piece of tech that never spots Vhagar. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 But trying to convince anybody of anything is completely worthless. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026 On top of that, his degree from a for-profit college - which was later sued over alleged deception - seemed worthless. — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for worthless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worthless
  1. empty
  2. cheap
  3. flawed
  4. no-good
  5. vain
Adjective
  • Large sections of chairs in the hall were empty as delegations filed out in protest of Iranian aggression.
    — Robin Wright, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
  • New Zealand then spent 10 minutes in England's half and appeared to waste it until Du Plessis chased a clearance back to halfway, turned and kicked into empty space and beat everyone to the ball in goal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of empty
Adjective
  • As the currency appreciates, imports — which play a significant role in the economy — become cheaper.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • About seven months ago, the average 30-year mortgage rate briefly dipped below 6% for the first time in years, prompting hopes that cheaper borrowing would finally unfreeze the housing market.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • The legal arguments for such claims, however, are extremely flawed and would likely not hold up in the court, said David Loy, the legal director for the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Dandekar accuses the World Bank of producing a flawed risk assessment report for the project from the get-go.
    — Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of flawed
Adjective
  • The question now is how the Giants can make the most of a bad, no-good situation.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
  • And with nary a golfer from the upstart tour within eight strokes of Round 2 leader Wyndham Clark at 7 under par, LIV’s no-good, very bad 2026 continued Friday.
    — Matt Schubert, New York Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of no-good
Adjective
  • Jeon Do-yeon, who plays the family’s matriarch, is colorfully slinky as a globe-trotting party widow, a vain, compulsively seductive narcissist who macks on her daughters’ men like a Real Housewife given a villain’s edit.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The character is a vain celebrity author known for his theatrics and questionable character.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of vain

Browse Nearby Words

worthiness
worthless
worthlessness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Worthless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worthless. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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