needlessly
advEtymology From needless + -ly.
1
In a needless manner.
2
To a degree or extent beyond what is needed.
- He was always needlessly anxious about his dog.
- At present that convenience is still needlessly expensive in Great Britain, and a scandalously stupid business conflict between telephone company and post-office delays, complicates, and makes costly and exasperating all trunk communications; but even under these disadvantages the thing is becoming a factor in the life of ordinary villadom.1902, Herbert George Wells, Anticipations:
3
Without need.
- He worried needlessly about his dog.
- Synonyms
- unnecessarily