no point in asking

USAGE SUMMARY

"no point in asking" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that there is no reason to ask a certain question or no benefit to be gained from asking. Example: There's no point in asking him for help; he probably doesn't know the answer.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

"There's no point in asking them now," Mr. Todd said.

The New York Times

There is no point in asking questions like that.

The New York Times - Magazine

"There's no point in asking a seriously injured man how high his blood sugar is!

The New York Times

There is no point in asking kids to study Excel spreadsheets for a year.

Independent

She added there was no point in asking why certain things happen.

The New Yorker

In other words, there was no point in asking further questions.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

There wouldn't be any point in asking the question if all you gave the interviewer was some canned response about how awesome you are.

WikiHow

If you're trying to convince someone to go clubbing with you, say something like "Oh well I didn't think there was any point in asking you, you're not much of a party animal are you?".

WikiHow

Also, there's no real point in asking Simon to comment on a performer he's been dissing after they've been eliminated.

Huffington Post

After Manchester City bought Džeko for £25m, there was no point in even asking him about citizenship: when the club won the FA Cup in 2011, the Premier League in 2012 and again this year, he celebrated draped in the Bosnian flag.

The Guardian

But the three women seem to share a common viewpoint: the guy's life is all about work; she (the wife, fiancée or girlfriend) is scared to death that he'll be injured or killed; and there's no point in even asking him to quit.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "no point in asking" to dissuade unnecessary inquiries, especially when the answer is already known or unobtainable. This can save time and prevent frustration.

Common error

Avoid using "no point in asking" when there's a possibility, however slim, that asking could lead to new insights or positive outcomes. Prematurely dismissing a question can close off potential avenues for discovery.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "no point in asking" functions as a declarative statement expressing the futility or lack of value in posing a question. It's used to discourage inquiry due to anticipated lack of results or cooperation, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

17%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "no point in asking" is a common phrase used to express the futility of posing a particular question, and Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct. It's most frequently found in News & Media contexts but also appears in Science and Wiki sources. While generally neutral in register, it's important to avoid using it prematurely if there's even a slight chance of gaining valuable information. Related phrases like "it's useless to ask" or "there's no use in asking" can offer similar meanings. Therefore, the key is to accurately assess the likelihood of a beneficial response before dismissing a question with "no point in asking".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's useless to ask

Replaces "no point" with "useless", emphasizing the futility of the action.

there's no use in asking

Substitutes "point" with "use", maintaining the same meaning but with a slight variation in wording.

it's pointless to ask

Emphasizes the lack of purpose in asking, using "pointless" instead of "no point".

asking is futile

Highlights the futility of the act itself, rather than the lack of point.

it serves no purpose to ask

A more formal way of saying there is no benefit or reason to ask.

there's little reason to ask

Suggests a slight possibility of benefit, but ultimately not enough to warrant asking.

why bother asking

Expresses a rhetorical question implying the lack of value in asking.

it's not worth asking

Focuses on the lack of value or reward in asking, making it not worthwhile.

there's no sense in asking

Uses "sense" instead of "point", indicating a lack of logic or reason.

it's a waste of time to ask

Highlights the wasted time and effort involved in asking the question.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "no point in asking" to sound more polite?

Consider using phrases like "it might not be fruitful to ask", "I'm not sure asking would help", or "perhaps it's best not to ask" for a more tactful approach.

What does "no point in asking" imply about the situation?

It suggests the question is unlikely to yield a useful answer or that the person being asked is unable or unwilling to provide the desired information.

When is it appropriate to use "no point in asking"?

Use it when the answer is already known, when the source is unreliable, or when past attempts to ask the question have been unsuccessful. Alternatives include /s/it's+useless+to+ask, /s/there's+no+use+in+asking, and /s/it's+pointless+to+ask.

Is "no point in asking" considered formal or informal?

It leans towards informal but is acceptable in most contexts. More formal alternatives include "it serves no purpose to ask" or "there is little reason to ask".