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.
Precious Achiuwa’s minutes have been few, far-between and largely fruitless in the playoffs. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025 If Richardson can’t retain the starting job over Jones, who was jettisoned by the New York Giants and is 3-13 in his last 16 starts, then a miss that big on a pick that high could spell the end of Ballard’s largely fruitless nine-year tenure in Indianapolis. James Boyd, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 The same Georgia committee has been pursuing a thus-far fruitless investigation of another Trump enemy, Fulton County Dist. Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025 The efforts of police, private investigators and the FBI proved fruitless. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 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 27 May. 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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