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no use

no use

133 2.5
An action that will not help
  • idiom
  • /noʊ juːs/
translation icon : inútil
  • There's really no use arguing with her; she has already made up her mind.
  • no use trying
  • little or no use

If like, I got no use for people like Kanye.

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Examples

  • The powers that be have no use for their mediation offers.

    Academic text (2002)
  • "If the problem can be solved, there is no use worrying about it.

  • I know I can be of no use to you, yet I think I should go with you.

  • I have no use for it.

  • His school is of no use in that regard.

  • There's no use in looking back, going back.

  • I was young and alive, and I had no use for funerals.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • My parents were wonderful human beings, but they had no use for psychiatry.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • But it's no use.

  • It's no use, Roberto.

Synonyms

useless
vsno use
550 1.0

Not able to do the job it is made for

expresses that it will not have any effect or bring benefit
worthless
vsno use
298 3.0

Has no value or use

emphasizes lack of effect or benefit rather than monetary or value judgment
meaningless
vsno use
226 5.1

Having no meaning, value, or purpose

focuses on lack of effect or benefit rather than absence of meaning
no point
vsno use
175 2.8

A situation in which doing something will not help

focuses on lack of effect rather than on absence of reason
pointless
vsno use
157 3.5

Not doing anything useful

is used to say it will not bring any benefit or effect
no-good
vsno use
  • Informal
88 5.6

Bad or worthless and often causing trouble

is a neutral statement about lack of effect rather than character insult
futile
vsno use
84 6.0

Not likely to work or help

is a phrase used to say something will have no effect
unproductive
vsno use
21 3.8

Not giving useful or wanted results

is the general phrase used when something will not have any effect
valueless
vsno use
5 3.6

Not worth anything or useful

focuses on effect and benefit rather than worth or price
purposeless
vsno use
4 5.3

Not done for any clear reason or useful result

speaks specifically about lack of effect or benefit instead of aim
good-for-nothing
vsno use
  • Offensive
2 6.8

Not useful or worth much

is broader, used to state lack of effect not personal failure
nonproductive
vsno use
2 4.5

Not giving useful results or helping to finish work, like a meeting

applies more widely to lack of effect rather than production-specific failure
what's the use
vsno use
  • Informal
1 7.6

You say something is not worth doing because it will not help

is a more neutral phrase used to state lack of effect or benefit
functionless
vsno use
1 5.0

Not working or useful for any purpose

expresses the same idea but highlights outcome rather than mechanics
9.8

Not helpful and not wanted in any situation

is a neutral way to say something will not have effect

Completely useless in real situations

uses plain language to state lack of effect rather than colorful insult
good-for-naught
vsno use
  • Offensive
9.9

Not useful and having little value

stresses lack of effect or benefit rather than general moral worth

Antonyms

947 1.0

Helps you do practical tasks or solve a problem

138 3.4

Making something better or producing a good result

How Useful

effective
986 3.1
useful
947 1.0
ineffective
90 3.4
no use
133 2.5
worthless
298 3.0

Surface Forms

no use singular
no uses plural

Morphology

no + use

The phrase is a direct composition of 'no' (negation) + 'use' (usefulness), so its meaning 'no usefulness / pointless' is transparently derivable from the constituents. This negation-of-noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows a simple semantic logic that a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer.

Etymology

No use: The phrase no use comes from the simple image of a tool that has no use, a broken thing that cannot help you. So when we say something is 'no use', we mean it will not help or is pointless.