needless
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of needless
First recorded in 1175–1225, needless is from the Middle English word nedles. See need, -less
Explanation
Something needless isn't required, necessary, or wanted. If you haven't touched that plastic back scratcher since Christmas 1992, it's probably needless. If your mom frets every time you walk out the door, you can assure her that it's needless worry — you'll be fine. And buying extremely pricey underwear might seem to be a needless expense — who cares how fancy your underwear is? Needless comes from need and its Old English root nied, "necessity."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But a succession of mistakes - handling errors, needless offloads, sloppy penalties – allowed Tonga to control the momentum for much of the game.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
The San Francisco-based AI lab updated its usage policy to include "a prohibition on sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior toward our models."
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
This inspires a funny magic bit set in a fantasy DMV office—much preferable to a real one, needless to say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
But on Monday, a federal district court judge in Massachusetts postponed the effective date on the grounds that—and I am paraphrasing here—the rule is mind-bendingly stupid and would create a needless, self-inflicted economic catastrophe.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
This double demand is a major justification for the prime directive “Omit needless words.”
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
