worthlessness

State of no value

Worthlessness is the quality of having no value, use, or merit.

The word often describes a psychological state—a crushing sense of one's own inadequacy: Depression filled him with feelings of worthlessness.

It can also describe objective lack of value: the worthlessness of the currency after hyperinflation.

despair

hopelessness

State without hope

desolationState of complete emptiness
dejectionState of lowness
melancholySubdued, lasting sadness

anguish · misery · emptiness · alienation · loneliness · self-loathing · inadequacy · shame · despondency · bleakness

valueless

trash

Discarded worthless material

junkWorthless discarded items
rubbishWaste or nonsense
garbageDiscarded waste material

waste · dross · dregs · chaff · refuse · scrap · detritus · castoff · discard · throwaway

futility

pointlessness

State of lacking meaning

uselessnessLack of practical value
fruitlessnessLack of productive outcome
meaninglessnessLack of significance

purposelessness · ineffectuality · vainness · hollowness · emptiness · triviality · absurdity · Sisyphean · unavailing · bootlessness

insignificance

trivial

Lacking significance or weight

negligibleToo small to consider
inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
unimportantLacking significance or weight

irrelevant · petty · trifling · paltry · meager · minor · slight · peripheral · dispensable · nonessential

Categories

futilityfutile, futility, in vain, pointlessness, vain
bad feelingssadness, anger, fear, grief, sorrow
insecuritiesinsecurity, self-doubt, low self-esteem, inadequacy, inferiority
dejectiondejected, despondent, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited
depressionmajor depression, clinical depression, sadness, hopelessness, anhedonia
mental symptomsanxiety, depression, paranoia, hallucination, delusion

Opposites

value/worth

worthlessnessworth

Degree of importance

value · preciousness · pricelessness · excellence · merit

SELF-REGARD (psychological)

worthlessnessself-worth

Internal sense of value

self-esteem · self-respect · dignity · pride · self-confidence

usefulness/utility

worthlessnessusefulness

Practical value or purpose

utility · helpfulness · functionality · practicality · serviceability

Family

worth, worthy, worthless, unworthy, worthwhile, worthiness, unworthiness, self-worth, unworthily

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G