useless

adjective

use·​less ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
: having or being of no use:
a
: ineffectual
a useless attempt
b
: not able to give service or aid : inept
uselessly adverb
uselessness noun

Examples of useless in a Sentence

The tent is useless in wet conditions. I made a useless attempt at fixing the leak. Drugs are useless in treating the condition.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The price signals are useless because the government prohibited them from being useful. The Editors, National Review, 30 June 2025 The devices must also give consumers the option of deactivating such features, unless that action would render the device useless. Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2025 And this is not to say that the guidelines are entirely useless. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025 The ironic part about this dynamic is that the latter list is useless without the former. Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for useless

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of useless was in 1593

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Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

useless

adjective
use·​less ˈyüs-ləs How to pronounce useless (audio)
: having or being of no use
uselessly adverb
uselessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on useless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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