invaluable

adjective

in·valu·able | \ (ˌ)in-ˈval-yə-bəl

, -yə-wə-bəl, -yü(-ə)-bəl\

Definition of invaluable

: valuable beyond estimation : priceless providing invaluable assistance

Other Words from invaluable Synonyms invaluable = valuable? More Example Sentences Learn More about invaluable

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invaluable = valuable?

Many people find it confusing that the in- prefix at the beginning of invaluable apparently lacks the meaning "not" found in a number of other words, such as invalid, inarticulate, and insane. In fact, the prefix does indicate negation, but in a way that is not immediately obvious. The original (and current) meaning of invaluable is "valuable beyond estimation"; the word describes something so precious that one cannot assign a price to it. This, clearly, is the opposite of the meaning "having no value; valueless" that the word might seem to carry. Invaluable actually has been recorded in the sense "without value," but such use has been exceedingly rare and is practically nonexistent today.

Examples of invaluable in a Sentence

Unfortunately, though, Sally does not respond to lithium, which has been invaluable for many patients with manic-depressive illness … — Oliver Sacks, New York Review of Books, 25 Sept. 2008 … the scrolls provide an invaluable snapshot of at least one important strain in early Judaism—though they are by no means a complete record of Jewish belief at that time. — Jeremy Lott, Lingua Franca, February 2001 I stayed there only a month or so but it was an invaluable experience … : that month's residence provided the inspiration for a novel I wrote much later, Sophie's Choice. — William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982 Their help has been invaluable to us. the list of likely donors proved to be invaluable to our fund-raising efforts

Recent Examples on the Web

The lunar south pole is believed to harbor substantial deposits of water ice at and just beneath its surface, a resource that could be invaluable for constructing future human settlements on the moon. — Jonathan O'callaghan, Scientific American, "India Loses Contact with Lunar Lander," 6 Sep. 2019 Creating computer systems capable of processing the increasing data load is an ongoing scientific and engineering problem - which is partly why public-private partnerships are going to be invaluable moving forward, industry leaders said Monday. — Erin Allday, SFChronicle.com, "Artificial intelligence’ potential, limits explored at Livermore lab event," 26 Aug. 2019 This experience is always invaluable in a title race, and could prove to be a decisive factor should the side find themselves in a close battle for the La Liga trophy. — SI.com, "Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or Barcelona: Assessing Each of the La Liga Title Favourites," 3 Aug. 2019 The experience was invaluable for white people who had had almost no previous interaction with black peers. — Steve Chapman, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris have reignited the busing debate. Here’s what happened at my Austin, Texas, high school.," 3 July 2019 Instead of waiting for payment models and policies to dictate how primary care evolves, primary care should focus — now — on making itself invaluable for both patients and physicians alike. — STAT, "We were inspired to become primary care physicians. Now we’re reconsidering a field in crisis," 20 June 2019 The senior guard is the only starter not to average double figures, but his role has been invaluable for the Ramblers. — Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, "Meet the Loyola-Chicago starting five that make up the most cohesive unit in America," 29 Mar. 2018 Playing on such a big stage, as well as fine-tuning the timing between a quarterback and wide receivers, can be invaluable. — Terrence Thomas, ExpressNews.com, "What are the six biggest stories going into high school football season?," 22 Aug. 2019 The contributions of these young musicians elsewhere on the festival have been invaluable. — Christian Hertzogwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: SummerFest revels in sextets and violins, and Timo Andres impresses with a masterful new piano trio," 21 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'invaluable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for invaluable

invaluable

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of invaluable

: extremely valuable or useful

See the full definition for invaluable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

invaluable

adjective

in·valu·able | \ in-ˈval-yə-wə-bəl

Kids Definition of invaluable

: priceless … his advice and counsel will prove invaluable in dealing with such problems as might arise.— Robert Lawson, Rabbit Hill

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invaluable

Definition of invaluable

Other Words from invaluable

Synonyms for invaluable

invaluable = valuable?

Examples of invaluable in a Sentence

First Known Use of invaluable

History and Etymology for invaluable

English Language Learners Definition of invaluable

Kids Definition of invaluable

invaluable

Definition of invaluable

Other Words from invaluable

Synonyms for invaluable

invaluable = valuable?

Examples of invaluable in a Sentence

First Known Use of invaluable

History and Etymology for invaluable

English Language Learners Definition of invaluable

Kids Definition of invaluable

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