worthless

[ wurth-lis ]

adjective

1. without worth; of no use, importance, or value; good-for-nothing:

   a worthless person; a worthless contract.

worthless

/ ˈwɜːθlɪs /

adjective

1. without practical value or usefulness
2. without merit; good-for-nothing

Derived Forms

• ˈworthlessness, noun
• ˈworthlessly, adverb

Other Words From

• worthless·ly adverb
• worthless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of worthless¹

First recorded in 1580–90; worth ¹ + -less

Example Sentences

“The FDA’s war on public health is about to end,” he wrote, decrying the agency’s “aggressive suppression” of such worthless anti-COVID nostrums as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.

From Los Angeles Times

It felt as though everything was repeated to the point that paying attention in class was worthless.

From Los Angeles Times

Porter-Eley also pleaded guilty to opening bank accounts using other people’s Social Security numbers, thereby obtaining nearly $50,000 in worthless checks, according to the Justice Department.

From Los Angeles Times

He might dismiss Guillermo, the household’s human companion, as worthless, but when old Gizmo needed to trust someone with a potentially deadly secret, Laszlo kept it for him.

From Salon

Restaurants are closing and car break-ins are so common that people complain that thieves sometimes steal worthless items like old rags.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barren
• bogus
• futile
• inconsequential
• ineffective
• insignificant
• meaningless
• mediocre
• pointless
• unimportant
• unproductive
• unprofitable
• unusable
• useless