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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 valuable in a Sentence
Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
But certainly with Gen X, if not shortly before, simply having a diploma became less valuable.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2025
The boxes were popular with clients who might not have a safe at home or have concerns about keeping their valuables in the house due to the potential for fire or burglary.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for valuable
Cite this Entry
“Valuable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/valuable. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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