Definitions

useless

[yoos-lis] / ˈjus lɪs /

ADJECTIVE

not working; not valuable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

counterproductive fruitless futile hopeless idle impractical incompetent ineffective ineffectual inoperative meaningless no good pointless stupid unproductive unworkable worthless

WEAK

abortive bootless disadvantageous dysfunctional expendable feckless good-for-nothing impracticable inept inutile nonfunctional of no use profitless purposeless scrap unavailable unavailing unfunctional unprofitable unpurposed unusuable vain valueless waste weak

Antonyms

STRONGEST

effective fruitful hopeful meaningful productive profitable sensible useful valuable worthwhile

WEAK

helpful usable working

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But that doesn’t mean they’re completely and utterly useless, only destined for the trash.

From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026

The company isn’t profitable, rendering price-to-earnings comparisons useless.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026

Inside detail: Woody, who is feeling a bit useless himself, was a vessel for some of the real-life emotions for Stanton, whose son had recently gone off to college at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

Russell’s befuddled Jackson is as useless as a traffic cone but Blunt’s Margaret is a gas before the movie makes her go all glassy-eyed and solemn.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

How utterly useless for not letting anyone know how worried I was.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

Vocabulary lists containing useless

Good Riddance

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Beowulf vocabulary

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 8

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!