⚡ Quick summary
The word valuable is an adjective that means “having a large monetary worth,” “having admirable qualities,” or “useful.” The word invaluable is an adjective that means “beyond calculable worth” or “priceless.” Typically, the word invaluable is used as a more intense word than valuable to describe something as being incredibly valuable.
Only an in- separates the words valuable and invaluable. As it turns out, that small in- is worth a lot when it comes to the different meanings of valuable and invaluable.
In this article, we will prove our worth by breaking down the difference between valuable and invaluable, explain how they are typically used, and give examples of how they can be used in sentences.
invaluable vs. valuable
The word valuable is an adjective that means “having a large monetary worth,” “having admirable qualities,” or “useful.”
For example:
- That painting is very valuable, costing millions of dollars.
- Stephanie has been a valuable friend to me for many years.
- Patience, charisma, and cleverness are valuable skills for a politician to have.
The word invaluable is an adjective that means “beyond calculable worth” or “priceless.” It is used in this sense both literally and figuratively.
For example:
- These ancient scrolls are invaluable because no amount of money could replace them.
- Dr. Reed’s contributions to the field of medical science have been invaluable.
The word invaluable is interesting because it appears as though it should mean the opposite of the word valuable, but it doesn’t. However, invaluable is not a synonym of valuable either. Instead, invaluable is a stronger word than valuable and is used to describe something as having a value that is so large that it is impossible to calculate.
The words invaluable and valuable cause confusion in much the same way as the word pair inflammable and flammable, which are actually synonyms. Unlike inflammable, though, the word invaluable actually does use the prefix in- to mean “not.” How is that possible if valuable and invaluable aren’t opposites?
You see, the word invaluable technically means “not valuable,” but not in the way we usually think. Both invaluable and valuable come from the verb form of value in the sense of “to calculate the monetary worth of,” as in They valued this painting at $3 million. The word valuable combines value and -able together. If something is valuable, you are able to value it as being precious or worth a lot of money. By contrast, invaluable combines in- (“not”) with valuable. If something is invaluable, it is not able to be valued because its worth is so high that it is impossible to assign it an actual number.
Examples of invaluable and valuable used in a sentence
Let’s let valuable and invaluable prove their value by looking at examples of how we typically use them in sentences.
- The jeweler placed several valuable necklaces on the counter.
- I will never sell my childhood photos because they are invaluable to me.
- The Roman coins are definitely valuable, and the knowledge they have provided to Roman scholars is invaluable.
- It’s hard to say which person’s autograph is most valuable because the few copies of William Shakespeare’s signature that exist are treated as invaluable treasures that will never be sold.
