completely unhelpful

USAGE SUMMARY

"completely unhelpful" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that offers no assistance or support at all. For example, "The instructions were completely unhelpful in resolving the issue." Alternative expressions include "totally useless" and "entirely ineffective."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

But this is completely unhelpful.

The Economist

They were arid and completely unhelpful.

The New York Times

A statement such as this is 100% accurate but completely unhelpful.

The Guardian

So in the end, I found myself sending several e-mails to each college, sometimes receiving completely unhelpful responses.

The New York Times

The "What do you like?" approach — an attempt at solicitousness that manages to be completely unhelpful and intimidating — is banished.

The New Yorker

But an Apple product could take many different shapes, some of which would be "completely unhelpful in helping you understand what the object was".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Perhaps this is why people nodded and clapped along to Rodriguez's completely unrelatable and unhelpful advice.

Vice

All functionaries are surly, unhelpful, bullying.

The Guardian - Film

He is, in fact, completely agnostic on the question and surpassingly unhelpful at opining about day trading.

The New York Times

British prime minister David Cameron issued a statement that said he "completely disagrees" with the comments and regards them as "divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong".

The Guardian

Cameron said through a spokeswoman that he "completely disagrees" with Trump's comments, which he regards as "divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In professional writing, pair this phrase with a specific reason to avoid sounding merely dismissive. For example: 'The manual was "completely unhelpful" because it lacked a troubleshooting section.'

Common error

Do not use additional intensifiers like 'very' or 'really' before "completely unhelpful". Since 'completely' is already an absolute adverb, adding more makes the sentence cluttered and grammatically awkward. Stick to one strong adverb to maintain impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "completely unhelpful" functions as an intensified adjective phrase. The adverb 'completely' acts as a maximizer, modifying the adjective 'unhelpful' to express an absolute state. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it typically serves as a subject complement (e.g. 'This is "completely unhelpful"') or as an attributive modifier (e.g. '"completely unhelpful" responses'). Ludwig AI confirms its status as a standard and correct English construction.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Social Media

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "completely unhelpful" is a robust and widely accepted phrase used to denote an absolute lack of utility. Ludwig and Ludwig AI demonstrate that this phrase is a staple of professional and journalistic English, particularly when providing critical feedback. It effectively combines the maximizer 'completely' with the negative adjective 'unhelpful' to leave no room for ambiguity. While it is highly effective for emphasizing failure in assistance or information, writers should be mindful of its sharp tone and ensure it is backed by context to remain constructive. Alternatives like "entirely useless" or "totally ineffective" can be used to vary your vocabulary, but "completely unhelpful" remains the most direct way to describe a total breakdown in support.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

entirely useless

Uses a more absolute noun-based adjective to emphasize a total lack of function

totally ineffective

Focuses on the failure to produce a desired effect or result

altogether unhelpful

A formal variation using altogether as the intensifier

wholly inadequate

Suggests that the help provided is not only bad but insufficient in quantity or quality

utterly pointless

Implies a complete lack of purpose or meaning in the assistance offered

thoroughly unproductive

Highlights a lack of output or positive outcome from the help

completely futile

Suggests that any attempt at help is incapable of producing a result

absolutely worthless

A more derogatory and absolute term for something that has no value

perfectly unserviceable

A more formal and technical way to describe something that cannot be used

entirely unaccommodating

Refers specifically to a lack of willingness to help or be flexible

FAQs

What can I say instead of "completely unhelpful"?

You can use alternatives like "entirely useless", "totally ineffective" or "wholly inadequate" depending on whether you are criticizing a person, a document or a result.

How do I use "completely unhelpful" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a response or a situation, such as: 'The customer service representative was polite but gave a response that was "completely unhelpful" to my specific problem.'

Is it better to say "unhelpful" or "completely unhelpful"?

Use "unhelpful" for minor inconveniences. Reserve "completely unhelpful" for instances where there is an absolute absence of assistance. If you need a middle ground, consider "not particularly helpful".

What is a more formal way to say "completely unhelpful"?

In a formal or academic context, you might prefer "entirely without utility" or "provided no assistance" to maintain a professional tone.