English Reference
Idiom idiom

not worth a whistle


Worthless or pointless.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

That old broken watch is not worth a whistle.

CONTEXTUAL

The cheap tool broke immediately, so I realized it was not worth a whistle.

COMPLEX

Despite the elaborate marketing campaign, the product proved to be not worth a whistle once customers discovered its fundamental flaws.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all one's life's worth

    A momentous matter; a very serious risk; a difficult task or situation.

  2. 02

    bells and whistles

    Extra features added for show rather than function; fancy additions or features.

  3. 03

    blow the whistle

    To disclose information to the public or to appropriate authorities concerning the illegal or socially harmful actions of a person or group, especially a corporation or government agency.

  4. 04

    clean as a whistle

    Very clean.

  5. 05

    dime's worth

    An insignificant amount

  6. 06

    make pigs and whistles of

    To ruin (something); to make a severe mess of (something).

  7. 07

    money's worth

    Satisfaction.

  8. 08

    not worth a brass farthing

    Worth nothing or next to nothing.

Last updated August 10, 2026