Definitions
- Describing an action or behavior that is done for its own sake, without any specific goal or purpose. - Referring to an activity that is not intended to achieve a particular outcome or result. - Talking about something that is done solely for enjoyment or pleasure, without any practical value or usefulness.
- Describing something that has no practical value or purpose. - Referring to an object or action that does not serve any useful function or benefit. - Talking about a skill or knowledge that has no practical application or usefulness in real life.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe something that lacks practical value or usefulness.
- 2Both words can refer to activities or behaviors that are not goal-oriented.
- 3Both words can be used to describe things that are not beneficial or productive.
- 4Both words can be used to express negative opinions or judgments.
What is the difference?
- 1Intention: Noninstrumental implies that the activity or behavior is done for its own sake, while useless suggests that it has no practical value or benefit.
- 2Connotation: Noninstrumental has a neutral or positive connotation, emphasizing enjoyment or pleasure, while useless has a negative connotation, emphasizing lack of value or benefit.
- 3Scope: Noninstrumental can refer to a wide range of activities or behaviors, while useless is more limited in scope and usually refers to objects or actions that have no practical use.
- 4Usage: Noninstrumental is a less common word than useless and may not be familiar to all English speakers.
- 5Degree: Useless implies a stronger sense of negativity or judgment than noninstrumental.
Remember this!
Noninstrumental and useless are synonyms that describe something that lacks practical value or usefulness. However, the difference between them lies in their intention, connotation, scope, usage, and degree. Noninstrumental emphasizes enjoyment or pleasure and implies that the activity or behavior is done for its own sake, while useless suggests that something has no practical value or benefit and has a negative connotation.