valuable
Americanadjective
-
having considerable monetary worth; costing or bringing a high price.
a valuable painting; a valuable crop.
- Antonyms:
- worthless
-
having qualities worthy of respect, admiration, or esteem.
a valuable friend.
- Antonyms:
- worthless
-
of considerable use, service, or importance.
valuable information.
- Antonyms:
- worthless
noun
adjective
-
having considerable monetary worth
-
of considerable importance or quality
a valuable friend
valuable information
-
able to be valued
noun
Synonym Usage
Valuable, precious refer to that which has monetary or other value. Valuable applies to whatever has value, but especially to what has considerable monetary value or special usefulness, rarity, etc.: a valuable watch. That which is precious has a very high intrinsic value or is very dear for its own sake, associations, or the like: a precious jewel, friendship.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of valuable
Explanation
Something that has worth is valuable. Often, valuable things are worth money, but a spy can provide valuable information that might save lives. When you use this word as a noun — "Were any valuables taken during the robbery?" — you usually are referring to things that are worth money: jewelry, electronics, etc. As an adjective, the word covers more territory. A person can be a valuable addition to a team if she helps it win. The most valuable things in life have nothing to do with money: friends, family, good health. If it is something we want, need, or respect, then it is valuable.
Vocabulary lists containing valuable
List 6
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Cover Letter Language
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for March 6–12, 2021
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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.
Removing LibGen would prevent researchers from being able to reproduce earlier GPT-3 or GPT-3.5 results, he said, adding, “but would be very valuable for legal reasons.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
She added there would be a "risk that the employees could no longer work if their identities were revealed", which would be a "loss of valuable resource" to the authority.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Homeowners’ prepayment options become more valuable, which exacerbates negative convexity for mortgage bonds.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
It was within Talmy's collection that Palao came across the valuable 12-inch acetate.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
By including the Interzonal games, the book would acquire some needed bulk and, presumably, be more valuable.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
