Uselessly

Uselessly is an adverb describing an action performed in a way that fails to achieve a useful result or that lacks practical value. It often carries a negative or evaluative sense, signaling that the effort, outcome, or effect was not worth the effort.

It functions to modify verbs and, less commonly, clauses. In usage, uselessly appears in sentences that criticize inefficiency, aimlessness, or misdirected effort. Examples include: “The committee argued uselessly about the plan,” “She tapped the door uselessly,” and “The machine ran uselessly after the outage.” In some contexts, it can emphasize futility even when the action is not inherently dangerous or harmful.

Etymology: The adverb is formed from the adjective useless, which in turn is built from the noun use with the suffix -less; the adverbial form is created by adding -ly to that adjective.

Usage notes: Usely is a precise term that tends toward formal or careful prose. It is similar in meaning to pointlessly or in vain, though it carries its own distinct nuance of futility rather than mere lack of purpose. It can be used across different registers but appears more often in written or edited text than in casual speech.

See also: useless, pointlessly, in vain.