practically worthless

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically worthless" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has very little value or utility, often in a figurative sense. Example: "After the market crash, many investments became practically worthless, leaving investors in a difficult position."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

They were once considered practically worthless.

The New York Times - Food

But a left-handed specialist who does not throw strikes is practically worthless to a manager.

The New York Times - Sports

Had A.I.G. gone under, those swaps would have been practically worthless.

The New Yorker

Oil-rich Venezuela is racked with hyperinflation, rendering the bolivar currency practically worthless.

The Guardian

This made the collision formula practically worthless as a predictive tool.

MIT Technology Review

This is practically worthless in terms of limiting the scope for deception.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

She finds that, in the eighteenth century, waste was as culturally valuable as it was practically worthless--and that waste paradoxically revealed the things that the culture cherished most.

Princeton University

Yes, worthless.

The Guardian

Absolutely worthless.

The Guardian

Probably worthless.

The New York Times

But worthless?

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically worthless" to convey that something has minimal real-world value or utility, often due to specific circumstances or conditions.

Common error

Avoid using "practically worthless" when you mean completely worthless. The 'practically' implies there might be a sliver of residual value or a highly specific context where it retains some worth.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically worthless" primarily functions as an adjective phrase. It modifies a noun to indicate that the noun has very little value or utility. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically correct. Examples in Ludwig show it modifying nouns like "currency", "land", and "stock".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Science

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "practically worthless" is a grammatically sound and widely used expression to describe something of very low value or utility. As Ludwig AI confirms, it adheres to standard grammar conventions. Its strength lies in conveying near valuelessness without completely dismissing the possibility of some residual worth. It is commonly found in news, academic, and business contexts, highlighting its versatility. For alternatives, you might consider "virtually valueless" or "almost useless". Remember to use it when you want to express that something has minimal real-world value, but not zero. With over 50 real-world examples, it's clearly a phrase you'll encounter—and can confidently use—across diverse contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually valueless

Replaces "practically" with "virtually" and "worthless" with "valueless", both indicating a near-zero value.

essentially without value

Replaces "practically" with "essentially", emphasizing the fundamental lack of worth.

almost useless

Substitutes "worthless" with "useless", focusing on the lack of utility rather than monetary value.

next to nothing

An idiomatic expression signifying very low monetary worth.

of no practical use

Focuses on the lack of usability, with a slight shift from overall value.

tantamount to nothing

Suggests that something is equivalent to having no value.

of little consequence

Shifts the focus to the insignificance or unimportance of something.

inconsequential

Highlights the lack of importance or significance.

effectively meaningless

Emphasizes the lack of meaning or impact rather than material value.

nugatory

A more formal and less common synonym for "worthless".

FAQs

How can I use "practically worthless" in a sentence?

You can use "practically worthless" to describe something that has very little value or use in a given context. For example: "After the new regulations, the old equipment became "practically worthless"."

What's the difference between "practically worthless" and "completely worthless"?

"Practically worthless" implies that something has very little value but might still have some minor use or residual value. "Completely worthless" means something has absolutely no value or use whatsoever.

What can I say instead of "practically worthless"?

You can use alternatives like "virtually valueless", "almost useless", or "of little consequence" depending on the context.

Is "practically worthless" a formal or informal expression?

"Practically worthless" is a neutral expression suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its usage is widespread in news media, business reports, and academic writing.