worthless
Americanadjective
adjective
-
without practical value or usefulness
-
without merit; good-for-nothing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of worthless
Explanation
If you have your antique pearl necklace appraised by a jeweler and learn that it's a worthless fake, you'll be terribly disappointed, since something that's worthless has no monetary value. Use the adjective worthless to describe something that has no use or isn't worth any money. Your old broken-down car, a stamp collection with no value, and your no-good roommate who never cleans and won't pay his share of the rent could all be described as worthless. The roots are the Old English words weorð, "equal in value to," and leas, "devoid of."
Vocabulary lists containing worthless
Power Suffix: -less
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Good Riddance
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The hypothetical orange juice documentary sounds interesting, but it has no value unless it can do more than regurgitate a Wikipedia article or a news story with a few worthless talking heads thrown in.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
Her aunt has converted $600 into worthless Iraqi dinars and Zimbabwean dollars that she thinks she’ll be able to use to get access to the technology when it becomes available.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
The strait won’t be worthless, but it’s a depreciating asset.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
In other countries in the world, where medication is available for everyone who needs it, defrauding the public with worthless remedies is curtailed if not made impossible.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Continentals were paying off in commissary scrip, which would be totally worthless if they lost.
From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
