fruitless

adjective

fruit·​less ˈfrüt-ləs How to pronounce fruitless (audio)
1
: unsuccessful
a fruitless attempt
2
: lacking or not bearing fruit
fruitlessly adverb
fruitlessness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for fruitless

futile, vain, fruitless mean producing no result.

futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertaking.

resistance had proved so futile that surrender was the only choice left

vain usually implies simple failure to achieve a desired result.

a vain attempt to get the car started

fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment.

fruitless efforts to obtain a lasting peace

Examples of fruitless in a Sentence

They made a fruitless attempt to find a solution. It would be fruitless to continue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After six largely fruitless seasons in New York, Jones looked like — whisper — one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Week 1, dicing up the Dolphins for 272 yards and three total TDs. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025 The two had met many times before in talks that often proved fruitless. Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025 Without a map of these switches, finding the true origin of complex diseases like multiple sclerosis, lupus, and schizophrenia is a slow, expensive,and often fruitless endeavor. Miguel Llorca, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Related Stories What at first seems like a fruitless trip to Staten Island — where the Caccimelio family lives in the Corleones’ house from The Godfather — eventually leads to Charles and Mabel discovering a gambling den underneath the Arconia. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fruitless

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fruytles, frutles, from fruyt, frut fruit entry 1 + -les -less

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fruitless was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fruitless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruitless. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

fruitless

adjective
fruit·​less ˈfrüt-ləs How to pronounce fruitless (audio)
1
: not bearing fruit
2
: producing no good results : unsuccessful
a fruitless attempt
fruitlessly adverb
fruitlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fruitless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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