exercise in futility

noun phrase

: an activity that is not successful or worthwhile
The negotiations turned out to be an exercise in futility.

Examples of exercise in futility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her inability to grasp reality engulfs the final weeks of tour rehearsals in chaos, forcing her to probe the depths of her mind on a journey toward realizing that running from our formative memories is an exercise in futility. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024 The problem is throwing the ball to him has largely been an exercise in futility. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 No matter what numbers the networks try to burnish, the entire effort can represent an exercise in futility. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 July 2024 This is an exercise in futility, certainly, but imagine if Greene or Donald Trump Jr. had taken a different tack. Philip Bump, Washington Post, 17 July 2024 But there’s unfortunately a sort of mystique around managing the problem, which can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. Angela Law, refinery29.com, 3 July 2024 Of course, trying to make a heavy and high-riding SUV drive like a light and low-slung supercar is ultimately an exercise in futility. Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 19 June 2024 Madison, Wisconsin — On a recent weekend, the Detroit Mechanix, a professional ultimate frisbee team, was getting ready for some exercise in futility. Steve Hartman, CBS News, 7 June 2024 For others, new year money resolutions are an annual exercise in futility. Ebony Flake, Essence, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exercise in futility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near exercise in futility

Cite this Entry

“Exercise in futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exercise%20in%20futility. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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