futile 
fu·tile (fyo̵̅o̅t′'l; chiefly Brit & Cdn, fyo̵̅o̅′tīl′)
adjective
- that could not succeed; useless; vain
- lacking vigor or purpose; inept or ineffective
- trifling or unimportant
Etymology: < Fr or L: Fr futile < L futilis, lit., that easily pours out, hence untrustworthy, worthless, futile < base of fundere: see found
futile
modif.
To no purpose
vain, unavailing, useless, in vain, fruitless, hopeless, impractical, worthless, impracticable, unprofitable, to no effect, not successful, abortive, profitless, valueless, unneeded, resultless, unsatisfactory, unsatisfying, ineffective, ineffectual, bootless, unproductive, to no avail, idle, empty, nugatory, hollow, barren, exhausted, unreal, delusive, unsubstantial, visionary. Antonyms
effective, fruitful, effectual. Frivolous
trifling, petty, unimportant, small; see trivial.
futile is applied to that which fails completely of the desired end or is incapable of producing any result; vain also implies failure but does not have as strong a connotation of intrinsic inefficacy as futile; fruitless stresses the idea of great and prolonged effort that is profitless or fails to yield results; that is abortive which fails to succeed or miscarries at an early stage of its development; that is useless which has proved to be ineffectual in practice or is theoretically considered to be of no avail
Infinitive complement
- attempt: It would be futile to attempt to estimate our final gains at the present time.
- try: Isn't it futile to try to be the new Microsoft?
- think: Our world is not ideal, and it is futile to think that the commission can create a perfect society.
Modifying Another Word
- utterly: The quote stated " The animal testing regime... is utterly futile.
- ultimately: Yet still there is a feeling that all is ultimately futile.
- somewhat: Even as I reach for the receiver Iâm checking the clock in a somewhat futile effort to fathom the time and place and day.
- equally: Other equally futile attacks were ordered that day by the British 1st Army commander, General Sir Douglas Haig, with similar tragic results.
- largely: The mutual opposition was largely futile, if only because all three initiatives shared the characteristic of being strictly voluntary.
- fairly: It would be fairly futile having a Charlton player of the year award this year.
Adjective complement with noun phrase
- render: For meanings to be attributed on personal whim renders the whole thing futile.
Modifies a noun
- gesture: In every sense it was a futile gesture against the government.
- attempt: He ran the window down in a futile attempt to obtain a better look.
- quest: The Iraq venture was doomed from the outset by a futile quest for a 'New American Empire ' .
- pursuit: Or a question of the futile pursuit of immortality?
- effort: Even as I reach for the receiver Iâm checking the clock in a somewhat futile effort to fathom the time and place and day.
- exercise: What is left is a curious toy, little more than futile exercise in word association.
Used with adjective complement
- prove: All attempts at soothing prove futile: " Do you want an ice cream?
- seem: Well, rest assured, in many ways it seems futile to me too.
- render: Introduce traitors into his country, that the government policy may be rendered futile.
- become: All Burnley fans want to believe; without that belief, the whole damn enterprise becomes futile.
Man's strength is but little, and futile his concerns.
Browse dictionary entries near futile
- futility ›
- futon ›
- futtock ›
- futtock plate ›
- futtock shroud ›
- Futuna ›
- future ›
- future interest ›
- future life ›
- future perfect ›
Print this Page
Suggestion Box
Send to Friend
