futility
noun
fu·til·i·ty
fyü-ˈti-lə-tē 
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile : uselessness
His speech focused on the futility of violence.
Trying to find the cause is an exercise in futility.
2
: a useless act or gesture
… the futilities of debate for its own sake …—
W. A. White
W. A. WhiteExamples of futility in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For the next 130 years, Smith won one CIAA conference title, in 1969, and was generally a poster child for football futility.
—Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2026
Meanwhile, in 2023, at a time when I was exhausted from the seeming futility of constantly writing and talking about it, fascism and the decline of democracy became popular topics in the mainstream media.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Angels owner Arte Moreno’s comments in spring training, suggesting surveys had shown fans were more confirmed with affordability and a safe environment than a winning team, are going to reverberate for a good while, at least as long as the team’s futility continues.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
But some experts emphasize that the era of synthetic drugs underlines the need to address the root factors that make users seek out drugs, given the futility of targeting a supply that’s constantly expanding and shifting.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for futility
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Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 22 May 2026
Meanwhile, in 2023, at a time when I was exhausted from the seeming futility of constantly writing and talking about it, fascism and the decline of democracy became popular topics in the mainstream media.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Angels owner Arte Moreno’s comments in spring training, suggesting surveys had shown fans were more confirmed with affordability and a safe environment than a winning team, are going to reverberate for a good while, at least as long as the team’s futility continues.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 18 May 2026
But some experts emphasize that the era of synthetic drugs underlines the need to address the root factors that make users seek out drugs, given the futility of targeting a supply that’s constantly expanding and shifting.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for futility
Cite this Entry
“Futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/futility. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
futility
noun
fu·til·i·ty
ˌfyu̇-ˈtil-ət-ē
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile
2
: a useless act
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