Word
worthless
Phoneticsworth·less, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɝθɫəs/
UK/wˈɜːθləs/
Definition
adj. having no value, use, or importance. You use this to describe something that is broken, useless, or not worth any money.
adj. lacking any financial value, utility, or merit. Often used to describe objects that cannot be sold or ideas that have no practical application.
Examples
“The old car is worthless because the engine is completely broken.”
“After the company went bankrupt, the stock certificates became worthless overnight, leaving investors with nothing.”
“The critic dismissed the novel as worthless, arguing that its derivative plot and flat characters offered nothing of interest to a modern audience.”
Examples
simple
“The old car is worthless because the engine is completely broken.”
contextual
“After the company went bankrupt, the stock certificates became worthless overnight, leaving investors with nothing.”
complex
“The critic dismissed the novel as worthless, arguing that its derivative plot and flat characters offered nothing of interest to a modern audience.”
Usage
Typically used as a predicative adjective after a linking verb or as an attributive adjective before a noun.
Pitfall
The ring is worthlessly.
The ring is worthless.
Learners sometimes confuse the adjective 'worthless' with an adverbial form; when describing a noun's value, the adjective is required.
Etymology
From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþlēas (“worthless”), equivalent to worth + -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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