1
as in impractical
not capable of being put to use or account
a garage full of useless junk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
a useless attempt to reach an agreement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 useless
Close examination reveals the instructions to be almost useless.
—
Billy Perrigo, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
Non-Functioning Flush A toilet that won't flush is essentially useless—after all, the entire purpose of a toilet is to quickly and safely remove waste.
—Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2024
But fresh perspectives are useless if CEO candidates and nominees lack the expertise and knowledge to get the job done, which is why some of Trump’s picks have sparked bipartisan concerns and opposition.
—Edward Segal, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
The trick society kind of plays on all of us is that women at a certain age are useless.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for useless 
Billy Perrigo, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
Non-Functioning Flush A toilet that won't flush is essentially useless—after all, the entire purpose of a toilet is to quickly and safely remove waste.
—Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2024
But fresh perspectives are useless if CEO candidates and nominees lack the expertise and knowledge to get the job done, which is why some of Trump’s picks have sparked bipartisan concerns and opposition.
—Edward Segal, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
The trick society kind of plays on all of us is that women at a certain age are useless.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for useless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useless
Adjective
-
Trying to dampen political polarization in the news and on social media would be an obvious approach—although an impractical one, the two say, given how polarization has marketplace benefits in boosting audience sizes, engagement and political donations.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Consultants have traditionally filled this gap by providing impartial assessments, yet external advisors may miss crucial insights into a company’s products, culture or internal processes, leading to high-cost, impractical recommendations.Glen Robinson, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
With dwindling options, Iran also withdrew its allied militias, recognizing that fighting for Assad would be futile.Natasha Hall, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024
-
This prospect seems likely because the ACLU is poised to pursue the case if the government drops out, making withdrawal by the new Trump administration potentially futile.Catherine Cole, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
That also would mean that TikTok wouldn’t be able to send updates, security patches and bug fixes, and over time the app would likely become unusable — not to mention a security risk.Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Initially, city officials suggested that only corrupted, unusable data had been accessed.Lars Daniel, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Stabilize leadership and prepare to scale down, S&P warns After CTU and CPS asking for more state funds earlier this year proved unsuccessful, new revenue from Springfield is unlikely, the S&P noted.Sarah Macaraeg, Chicago Tribune, 14 Dec. 2024
-
However, the equipment has been unsuccessful in detecting the drones.Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Human services settings can suffer tremendously from unsuitable employees, who may jeopardize the health, safety or dignity of those in their care.Debra Rinell, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
-
That alone makes rainbow eucalyptus unsuitable for most yards, but this Southeast Asia native is also an invasive pest in the southernmost portions of the U.S. To avoid issues, some people are growing rainbow eucalyptus indoors.Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to useless
Thesaurus Entries Near useless
Cite this Entry
“Useless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useless. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share