worthless

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈwɝθləs/ UK /ˈwɜːθləs/ See IPA manual

Freq #4848

Meanings

1

adj
Having no value or use.

After the company collapsed, the shares became worthless.
2

adj
(Of a person) having no good qualities; deserving contempt.

He was made to feel worthless by his cruel boss.

Thesaurus

Opposites

precious priceless valuable

Word family

Forms worthlesslyworthlessness

Etymology

From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþlēas (“worthless”), equivalent to worth + -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).

*worthles Middle English weorþlēas Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# worthless

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɝθləs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈwɜːθləs/
**Frequency rank:** 4848

## Meanings
1. Having no value or use.
2. (Of a person) having no good qualities; deserving contempt.

## Examples
- After the company collapsed, the shares became worthless.
- He was made to feel worthless by his cruel boss.

## Antonyms
- precious
- priceless
- valuable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *worthles
- Root: weorþlēas

## Etymology
From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþlēas (“worthless”), equivalent to worth + -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).

## AI Etymology
Worthless is from Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþlēas (“worthless”), equivalent to worth + -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”). Important historical forms include Middle English *worthles, and Old English weorþlēas. In present-day use, it can mean having no value or use, or (Of a person) having no good qualities; deserving contempt.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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