invaluable

adjective

in·​valu·​able (ˌ)in-ˈval-yə-bəl 

-yə-wə-bəl,

-yü(-ə)-bəl

: valuable beyond estimation : priceless

providing invaluable assistance

invaluableness noun

invaluably

(ˌ)in-ˈval-yə-blē 

-yə-wə-blē

-yü(-ə)-blē

adverb

Did you know?

invaluable = valuable?

Many people find it confusing that the in- prefix at the beginning of invaluable apparently lacks the meaning "not" found in a number of other words, such as invalid, inarticulate, and insane. In fact, the prefix does indicate negation, but in a way that is not immediately obvious. The original (and current) meaning of invaluable is "valuable beyond estimation"; the word describes something so precious that one cannot assign a price to it. This, clearly, is the opposite of the meaning "having no value; valueless" that the word might seem to carry. Invaluable actually has been recorded in the sense "without value," but such use has been exceedingly rare and is practically nonexistent today.

Synonyms

• inestimable
• priceless

Examples of invaluable in a Sentence

Unfortunately, though, Sally does not respond to lithium, which has been invaluable for many patients with manic-depressive illness … —Oliver Sacks, New York Review of Books, 25 Sept. 2008

… the scrolls provide an invaluable snapshot of at least one important strain in early Judaism—though they are by no means a complete record of Jewish belief at that time. —Jeremy Lott, Lingua Franca, February 2001

I stayed there only a month or so but it was an invaluable experience …  : that month's residence provided the inspiration for a novel I wrote much later, Sophie's Choice. —William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982

Their help has been invaluable to us.

the list of likely donors proved to be invaluable to our fund-raising efforts

Recent Examples on the Web

In today's fast news cycles and noisy customer acquisition and retention landscape, tools that help brands offer innovative solutions to increase retention, streamline operations, and create cost savings are invaluable. —Andrea Wasserman, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

If in fact being on time is of the essence (leaving on time for an obligation via carpool, for example) then a bit more discussion at the planning stage can be invaluable. —R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2025

For Moon, meeting fellow women of color in the industry and acting as a beacon of hope for her struggling studio made the trip invaluable. —Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2025

Such information may become invaluable to anyone seeking to buy waterfront property. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

in- entry 1 + value, verb + -able

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for invaluable

• evaluable
• valuable

Kids Definition

invaluable

adjective

in·​valu·​able (ˈ)in-ˈval-yə(-wə)-bəl 

: having value too great to be estimated

invaluably

-blē 

adverb