useless
Useless (adjective) means not able to be used; serving no practical purpose. Example: “A phone with a dead battery is useless.”
How to use useless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving no use, or (informally) being no good at something.
Word forms
more useless comparative, uselesser comparative, most useless superlative, uselessest superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A phone with a dead battery is _____.
Etymology
From use + -less.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for useless
Frequently asked questions
What does “useless” mean?
The word “useless” means not able to be used; serving no practical purpose. In plain terms, having no use, or (informally) being no good at something.
How do you pronounce “useless”?
“Useless” is pronounced YOOS-luhs (/ˈjuːs.ləs/ in IPA).
How do you use “useless” in a sentence?
Here is “useless” used in a sentence: “A phone with a dead battery is useless.”
What is the opposite of “useless”?
The opposite of “useless” — its antonyms — are skillful and useful.
What part of speech is “useless”?
“Useless” is an adjective.
Is “useless” a common word?
“Useless” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “useless” have?
“Useless” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not able to be used; serving no practical purpose.
What is the difference between 'useless' and 'worthless'?
'Useless' means serving no practical purpose or not able to be used, focusing on lack of function. 'Worthless' means having no value, focusing on lack of worth; something can be useless for a task yet still hold sentimental or monetary worth, so the two are not always interchangeable.
What preposition follows 'useless' when talking about ability?
In the informal sense of being bad at something, 'useless' is followed by 'at', as in 'he's useless at cooking'. When describing something with no purpose, it often pairs with 'for', as in 'this tool is useless for the job'.
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