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 The men in charge of my country, like so many leaders around the world, tried to convince women and girls that no one fought for us, that our lives were less important, that protests were useless, and that imprisonment—the punishment for any defiance—meant silence. Nadia Murad, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024 This doesn’t mean that the Palma or other e-readers are useless. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for useless 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'useless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of useless was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near useless

Cite this Entry

“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useless. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!