Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

needless

/ˈniːdləs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.66 in modern English

Syllables: need-less
IPA: /ˈniːdləs/

9

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Not needed; unnecessary.

adv

Needlessly, without cause.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"This new project of yours will only be a needless expense."
"[…]they were needless bursts of imagination from a man who’d made such a show of unshowiness."

Etymology

From Middle English needlees, nedelees, nedeles, equivalent to need + -less.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: needlees

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

more needless (comparative) most needless (superlative) needles (alternative, obsolete)

Derived Forms

needlessness

Phrases

needless to say

Synonyms

gratuitous uncalled-for

Antonyms

needful

Rhymes With

seedless heedless leadless weedless deedless creedless redeless reedless speedless greedless

Questions

How do you pronounce needless?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈniːdləs/.
What does needless mean?: Not needed; unnecessary.
Where does needless come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce needless

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “needless”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈniːdləs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “needless”.
Repeat and practice — Say “needless” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.