# useless

/ˈjusɫəs/ (US) · /jˈuːsləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/useless
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not working or broken

adjective · CEFR B1

not working or not able to be used for its purpose.

For teachers: having no practical use or being incapable of functioning as intended.

- 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.

### 2. pointless or unhelpful

adjective · CEFR B1

not helping you to achieve what you want; a waste of time.

For teachers: serving no purpose or providing no assistance in achieving a goal.

- 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.

### 3. not good at a task

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

not having the skill to do something well.

For teachers: lacking competence or skill in a specific area of activity.

- 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.

### 4. lazy or worthless person

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · Vulgar

describes a person who is lazy or does not help at all.

For teachers: used as a derogatory descriptor for a person perceived as lazy, unreliable, or having no value to a group.

- 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.

## Examples

- This broken umbrella is useless in the rain.
- I tried to fix the leaky faucet with a wrench, but it was useless because the pipe was completely rusted.
- The committee's final report was deemed useless by the board, as it failed to address the core financial discrepancies that had triggered the investigation in the first place.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.