Word
useless
Phoneticsuse·less, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈjusɫəs/
UK/jˈuːsləs/
Definitions
01not working or broken
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not working or not able to be used for its purpose.
adj. having no practical use or being incapable of functioning as intended.
日本語:だめ※
“This old umbrella is useless because it has a huge hole in the top.”
“The manual proved useless during the emergency, as it lacked specific instructions for the mechanical failure we were experiencing.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02pointless or unhelpful
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not helping you to achieve what you want; a waste of time.
adj. serving no purpose or providing no assistance in achieving a goal.
日本語:役に立たない※
Español:inútil
“It is useless to argue with him when he has already made up his mind.”
“The committee realised that further debate was useless once the budget had been officially vetoed by the board.”
Antonyms
03not good at a task
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. not having the skill to do something well.
adj. lacking competence or skill in a specific area of activity.
日本語:だめ※
“I am useless at maths, so I always use a calculator for simple sums.”
“Despite his enthusiasm for the sport, he admitted he was entirely useless at navigating the boat in high winds.”
Synonyms
04lazy or worthless person
C1 · Advanced Informal · Vulgar
adj. describes a person who is lazy or does not help at all.
adj. used as a derogatory descriptor for a person perceived as lazy, unreliable, or having no value to a group.
Español:inútil
“My brother is useless; he just sits on the sofa while I do all the housework.”
“The manager was fired after his staff complained that he was a useless leader who ignored every crisis.”
Usage
Often used as a direct insult or in expressions of extreme frustration.
Teaching tip
While not always a 'swear word', calling a person useless is a strong personal insult; learners should use it with caution.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “useless” in context.
Verb
01. feel useless and frustrated
“He felt useless and frustrated when he couldn't help his team finish the project.”
adj + and + adj
02. prove useless in an emergency
“The outdated safety equipment proved useless in a real emergency.”
verb + adj + prep + noun
03. render the device useless
“A sudden power surge rendered the electronic device completely useless.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
04. useless at fixing things
“I'm afraid I'm quite useless at fixing things around the house.”
adj + prep + noun
05. useless to argue
“It is useless to argue with him once he has made up his mind.”
adj + infinitive
06. utterly useless
“This umbrella is utterly useless in such a heavy rainstorm.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. pile of useless junk
“The garage was filled with a massive pile of useless junk that nobody wanted.”
noun + of + adj + noun
08. useless piece of equipment
“We need to replace this useless piece of equipment before the production line stops.”
adj + noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“It’s also the only blender that arrived with zero plastic packaging: all cardboard, no useless baggies.” “But, hold the extra spice please, as I'm useless with anything too hot.” Etymology
From use + -less.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/useless
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0