What does useless mean?
“Useless” is an adjective meaning that something has no practical purpose, serves no function, or fails to produce a worthwhile result. It is used for objects, actions, methods, information, and occasionally people: a broken tool may be useless, while a prolonged argument can be described as useless if it achieves nothing. In everyday use, the word often conveys frustration or mild criticism, though it remains common in formal writing as well. “Useless” is stronger than “ineffective” when something has no value or function, and stronger than “pointless” when emphasizing a complete lack of practical purpose. Its clear structure and direct meaning make it useful for describing anything that does not contribute to an intended goal.
adjectiveHaving no use or practical purpose; serving no effective function. It can also describe a person or action considered ineffective, unproductive, or incapable of achieving anything worthwhile.
- Having no practical purpose or function.
- Ineffective or incapable of achieving a useful result.
- Describing a person as unproductive, unskillful, or of no value.
"The committee spent several hours debating a proposal that everyone knew was useless."
"The broken phone was useless once its battery had completely drained."
"His apology was useless; the damage had already been done."
The word “useless” was formed by attaching the simple idea of “without” to use: something useless is, literally, something without a use.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does useless come from?
The adjective “useless” was formed in English from “use” and the suffix “-less,” meaning “without use”; it has been attested since the early 17th century. The base word “use” came through Old French from Latin “usus,” meaning “use” or “custom.” Related English forms such as “useful,” “usable,” “user,” and “usage” were developed from this base, while “utility” comes from Latin “utilitas,” meaning “usefulness,” and is a close Latin cognate.
Related word forms
How useless is actually used
“Useless” is standard in both formal and informal English, but it can sound blunt or dismissive when applied to a person. “Ineffective” may be preferable when describing a method that failed to work rather than something that has no value at all.