What does valueless mean?
Valueless is an adjective meaning that something has no value, worth, or usefulness. It may describe an object that has been damaged or rendered useless, a possession with no market worth, an idea lacking practical significance, or a decision that offers no genuine benefit. The word can also make an ethical judgment, especially about a person whose conduct is portrayed as unprincipled or morally corrupt, although this use is less common today. Valueless is more emphatic and categorical than saying that something has little value: it declares that no relevant value exists. It is also more analytical than worthless, which often concentrates on an object's uselessness or lack of merit. The word appears in both British and American English and is especially useful when the reason for something having no value needs to be made explicit.
adjectiveHaving no value, worth, or usefulness. In moral or ethical contexts, lacking principles, integrity, or moral worth.
- Having no monetary, practical, or intrinsic value.
- Lacking moral principles, integrity, or ethical worth.
"The damaged notes were virtually valueless, while the old manuscript was priceless."
"The flood left thousands of families with possessions that had become completely valueless."
"His willingness to betray his friends revealed a valueless character."
Valueless puts value on trial and returns a not-guilty verdict: no worth at all.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does valueless come from?
Valueless combines value with the suffix -less, meaning “without” or “lacking.” The English word value came through Anglo-Norman French from Latin valere, “to be worth” or “to have worth,” while the suffix -less developed from Old English -lēas, “without.” Together, the elements express the absence of the worth or usefulness associated with value.
Related word forms
How valueless is actually used
The word is formal to neutral in tone and is often evaluative. Its moral sense is less common in contemporary usage than its general sense of having no value or usefulness.
Easily confused with valueless
Valueless means that something has no value in a specified context, whereas worthless more strongly suggests that it has no usefulness or merit.