English edit

Etymology edit

worthless +‎ -ness

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Noun edit

worthlessness (usually uncountable, plural worthlessnesses)

  1. The quality of lacking worth, of being valueless, useless or devoid of benefit.
    Kids these days far too often attribute low academic grades to feelings of worthlessness.
    • 1905, Carry Nation, chapter 28, in The Use and Need of the Life of Carry A. Nation[1], archived from the original on 11 August 2014:
      This sort of fat instead of indicating health points to disease. This general teaching as to the worthlessness of alcohol as a food had been set forth by the leaders in medical profession, and accepted largely by the rank and file of practitioners for about twenty-five years.

Translations edit