How to pronounce useless
Say it like YOO-slus. Useless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (YOO).
- YOO
- slus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Useless pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- YOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
- slusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of useless
American and British speakers say useless in essentially the same way: /ˈjusləs/ in the US and /ˈjuːslɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: YOO-slis.
What does useless mean?
- Without use or the possibility to be used.“This fork's prongs are bent. It's useless now.”
- Unhelpful, not useful; pointless (of an action).“I think it's useless to keep this discussion going. It's like talking to a brick wall.”
Where does useless come from?
From use + -less.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying useless
How do you pronounce useless?
Say YOO-slus. The American pronunciation is /ˈjusləs/. In British English it is /ˈjuːslɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in useless?
Useless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (YOO). Broken into parts: YOO · slus.
Do Americans and Brits say useless the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈjusləs/ and the British form is /ˈjuːslɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.