needless

adjective

need·​less ˈnēd-ləs How to pronounce needless (audio)
: not needed : unnecessary
needless waste
needlessly adverb
needlessness noun
Phrases
needless to say
: as is self-evident or to be expected

Examples of needless in a Sentence

needless expenditures that pushed the construction project way over budget
Recent Examples on the Web There’s now a cultural association between these real child abuse allegations and murders with needless and muddled schlock. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2024 Maybe needless to say, my conclusion was that replacing surveys with GenAI is not a great idea. Jason Andersen, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024 So, needless to say, there were a whole lot of folks who were interested in being a part of that discussion. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 24 July 2024 That message, needless to say, did not break through. Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 5 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for needless 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'needless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of needless was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near needless

Cite this Entry

“Needless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needless. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

needless

adjective
need·​less ˈnēd-ləs How to pronounce needless (audio)
needlessly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on needless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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