render useless

USAGE SUMMARY

"render useless" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to signify that something has been rendered ineffective and/or inoperable. Example sentence: The water damage caused by the storm rendered the electronic equipment useless.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Such resistance would render useless one of the most environmentally benign insecticides in use today.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The British ships, which had fought at long range so as to render useless the smaller guns of the Germans, sustained only 25 casualties in this engagement.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under a Russian-US deal struck last month, Syria must render useless all production facilities and weapons-filling equipment by November, a process begun over the past several weeks.

The Guardian

A stripped-down nuclear weapons breakout capability of one year or longer, as is currently under discussion in talks between Iran and world powers, and a strong safeguards and inspections regime, could then perhaps render useless the potential nuclear aspects of the Iranian ballistic missile program.

The Guardian

But to introduce creaturehood as the distinguishing feature is to render useless the importance of defining creatures in terms of the lack of identity of their essence and their act of existing.

SEP

The protagonist, Joel Backman, is unveiled as an odious, corrupting, utterly amoral superlobbyist, who lands in solitary confinement at a federal maximum security prison after trying to hawk to the highest bidder a software system that can render useless a supersophisticated satellite system that the U.S. previously hadn't known existed.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"At first, I was kind of rendered useless by shock.

The Guardian

Rendered useless by DVDs, they've found a new purpose.

The Guardian

The Mass was said in English (rendering useless my carefully learned Latin prayers).

The New York Times

"I've lost all my money, and my education is rendered useless," Ms. Khan said.

The New York Times

"Entire objects are rendered useless because a stupid piece of plastic broke," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "render useless", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the state of ineffectiveness. For instance, 'The flood rendered the roads useless.'

Common error

While grammatically correct, "render useless" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Consider using simpler alternatives like 'make useless' or 'break' in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "render useless" functions as a verb phrase. It typically describes an action that causes something to become ineffective or unusable. Ludwig examples and the AI confirm this.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "render useless" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe something becoming ineffective or inoperable. Ludwig AI confirms this. While not extremely common, it appears most frequently in news, science and encyclopedic contexts. It is advisable to use this phrase when precision is needed and tone is formal; less formal alternatives exist for more casual settings. Related phrases include "make ineffective" or "disable", offering more options for varied writing styles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make inoperative

Focuses on the action of causing something to cease functioning.

make ineffective

Highlights the act of diminishing the desired outcome or impact.

nullify

Emphasizes the act of making something legally or officially invalid.

invalidate

Focuses on proving something to be without legal or factual basis.

negate

Highlights the action of causing something to not exist or be true.

undo

Emphasizes reversing a previous action or its effects.

cripple

Focuses on severely damaging or weakening something.

neutralize

Highlights counteracting something's effect or power.

incapacitate

Emphasizes preventing someone or something from functioning normally.

disable

Focuses on preventing a device or system from working.

FAQs

How can I use "render useless" in a sentence?

You can use "render useless" to describe something that has become ineffective or inoperable. For example, 'The constant rain "rendered useless" our outdoor plans'.

What can I say instead of "render useless"?

Alternatives include "make inoperative", "make ineffective", or "disable" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "render useless" or "make useless"?

"Render useless" is more formal than "make useless". The best choice depends on the tone and audience of your writing. In professional or technical contexts, "render useless" might be preferred.

What is the difference between "render useless" and "render obsolete"?

"Render useless" means something is no longer functional or effective. "Render obsolete"/s/render+obsolete means something is outdated because something newer and better has replaced it. While something obsolete might be useless, the terms aren't interchangeable.