valuable
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- precious, costly, dear, expensive, high-priced
- useful, beneficial, helpful, important, prized, profitable, worthwhile
[noun]
Synonyms:
- valuables: treasures, heirlooms

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Antonyms: valueless, worthless
Contrasted words: cheap, inexpensive, trashy, unmarketable, unsalable, unworthy
Related Idioms: of great value
Related Words: dear, expensive, appreciated, prized, treasured, valued, admired, esteemed, respected

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English Thesaurus: useful, handy, helpful, of use, worthwhile, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

val‧u‧a‧ble W3 /ˈvæljuəbəl, -jəbəl $ ˈvæljəbəl/ adjective
[Word Family: noun: valuables, value, values, valuation, valuer, overvaluation ≠ UNDERVALUATION, devaluation; adjective: valuable, invaluable, overvalued ≠ UNDERVALUED, valueless, valued; verb: value, devalue, overvalue ≠ undervalue]

1. worth a lot of money Antonym : worthless:
a valuable painting
Their most valuable belongings were locked in a safe in the bedroom. ⇒ see Thesaurus box on P.1942

2. valuable help, advice, information etc is very useful because it helps you to do something:
Muriel has made a valuable contribution to our company’s success.
a job that gave him valuable experience

3. important because there is only a limited amount available Synonym : precious:
I won’t waste any more of your valuable time.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

valuable
adj.
I. worth a lot of money
VERBS be, look | become | remain
ADV. extremely, really, very | quite, rather | commercially commercially valuable expertise

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

valuable
II. very useful
VERBS be, prove, seem | become | remain | make sb/sth They have skills and qualities which make them highly valuable.
consider sth
ADV. eminently, enormously, especially, exceedingly, exceptionally, extremely, highly, immensely, most, particularly, really, truly, very | increasingly | quite | equally The subject could be equally valuable for scientists.
inherently, intrinsically The Romantics believed that the life of the imagination was intrinsically valuable.
potentially | ecologically, educationally, scientifically, socially ecologically valuable species
PREP. as The survey was valuable as an indicator of local opinion.
for Good eyesight is a quality which is extremely valuable for a hunting animal.
to documents that are enormously valuable to historians

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

valuable

help
There can be no doubt that this sort of help is valuable for teachers.
advice
The booklet contains valuable advice for new mothers.
information
The police were contacted by a number of people who had valuable information about the bombings.
experience
The experience you can gain in a small advertising agency will be very valuable.
contribution
He made a valuable contribution to our work.
asset
If you have a good network of contacts, you have a valuable asset.
source
Fish are a valuable source of protein.
tool
Exercise is a valuable tool in treating depression.
prove valuable (=be valuable for someone)
This advice was to prove valuable.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

valuable
adjective
1.
BAD: The magazine is printed on very valuable paper.
GOOD: The magazine is printed on very expensive paper.
BAD: They always buy valuable brands such as Polo, Louis Vuitton, and Yves St Laurent.
GOOD: They always buy expensive brands such as Polo, Louis Vuitton, and Yves St Laurent.

Usage Note:
valuable = worth a lot of money: 'Your stamp collection must be quite valuable by now.' 'If the painting is genuine, it could be extremely valuable.'
expensive = costing a lot of money, especially when compared with other things of the same type: 'He only buys silk ties, even though they're more expensive.' 'Why are these bananas so expensive?'

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2.
BAD: They will steal all your money and valuable things.
GOOD: They will steal all your money and valuables.

Usage Note:
When you mean valuable things such as jewellery, cameras, etc, use valuables (always plural): 'The management advises guests to deposit their valuables in the hotel safe.'

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3.
BAD: The small hotels are usually very valuable for money but the big ones are expensive.
GOOD: The small hotels are usually good value but the big ones are expensive.

Usage Note:
If something is worth what you pay for it, it is good value (for money) or (good) value for money : 'At just under $90 the Sony is very good value.' 'Having paid £200 for the suit, I expect to get better value for money.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

useful something that is useful makes it easier for you to do something:
He gave me some useful advice.
a useful thing to know
handy informal useful – used especially about something that is convenient and easy to use:
a handy little booklet
The book is full of handy hints.
I always keep old jars – you never know when they might come in handy (=be useful).
helpful useful because it helps you to do something:
This drug can be helpful in treating depression.
helpful advice
helpful suggestions
of use [not before noun] if someone or something is of use, they are useful for you when you are doing something:
I hope you’ll find the book of use.
He wants to be of use.
worthwhile if doing something is worthwhile, it is useful for you and you benefit from doing it:
The training was certainly worthwhile.
a worthwhile experience
It is worthwhile to start by asking ourselves why people get involved in crime.
valuable very useful in helping you do something:
His information was very valuable to the police.
The course was a valuable experience for me.
a valuable contribution
invaluable extremely useful in helping you do something:
His help was invaluable.
The drug could be invaluable for treating cancer patients.
an invaluable experience
indispensable someone or something that is indispensable is so useful and important that you cannot do something without them:
For walkers, a good compass is indispensable.
He became an indispensable part of the team.
an indispensable guide to travelling in Italy
be great for something informal to be very useful for doing something:
The bag is great for taking on holiday.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

valuable worth a lot of money and expensive to buy:
a valuable piece of jewellery
The carpet is extremely valuable.
priceless so valuable that it is impossible to calculate a price:
a priceless painting by Rembrandt
The statue is priceless.
precious metal/stone precious metals such as gold, or stones such as diamonds are very rare and expensive :
Back in ancient times, coins contained precious metals.
The ring was set with dozens of precious stones.
worth a lot/a fortune informal to be worth a very large amount of money:
Some rare baseball cards are worth a fortune.
precious very special and important to someone - used about people or things:
My family have always been precious to me.
His free time was very precious to him.
the place where I kept my most precious things
prized very special and important to someone, so that they want very much to keep them or obtain them:
The book was one of his most prized possessions.
The shells are prized for their beauty (=are considered to be very special).
treasured very special and important to someone, especially because it is connected with someone they love:
the case in which she kept her most treasured possessions
The holiday was now a treasured memory.
a treasured gift from her grandmother
irreplaceable extremely special and important, especially because it is the only one of its kind:
The manuscripts are said to be irreplaceable.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲