ineffectual

adjective

in·​ef·​fec·​tu·​al ˌi-nə-ˈfek-chə(-wə)l How to pronounce ineffectual (audio)
-ˈfeksh-wəl
1
: not producing the proper or intended effect : futile
2
ineffectuality noun
ineffectually adverb
ineffectualness noun

Examples of ineffectual in a Sentence

an ineffectual effort to find the trail again did at least lead them to another stunning view of the canyon another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
Recent Examples on the Web Maybe you won’t be convinced that Casolaro’s trail leads to the October Surprise — the theory that argues Ronald Reagan cut a deal with Iran to keep U.S. hostages captive until after the 1980 presidential election, thereby making incumbent Jimmy Carter look weak and ineffectual. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 The conventional method involved securing digital entry points using firewalls to ward off potential threats, but the rise in multicloud usage and the adoption of hybrid work environments are making these approaches outdated and ineffectual. Anudeep Parhar, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 In what might be called the Great Reversal, President Biden rolled back Trump policies as a matter of course and on principle, assuming that anything his predecessor was responsible for must be immoral or ineffectual. Rich Lowry, National Review, 4 Feb. 2024 In August 2023, for instance, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, speaking as the chair of the West African bloc ECOWAS, issued a premature and ineffectual threat of military action against Niger's junta, while other governments were pursuing diplomatic strategies. Joseph Sany, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024 Nasser blames all sides for the disarray in the south: Israel, Hezbollah and the notoriously ineffectual Lebanese government. Sarah Dadouch, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2023 The 2011 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, when Biden was vice president, combined with ineffectual local governance, left a vacuum where ISIS eventually thrived. Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024 And this war does not have heroic leaders: both sides suffer from profoundly ineffectual governance. Aaron David Miller, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2023 This time, with Israeli drones and armor a constant threat, Hamas authorities barely have a presence in the streets — and an ineffectual one at that. Nabih Bulos and A Times Special Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ineffectual was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ineffectual

Cite this Entry

“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ineffectual. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ineffectual

adjective
in·​ef·​fec·​tu·​al ˌin-ə-ˈfek-chə(-wə)l How to pronounce ineffectual (audio)
-ˈfeksh-wəl
1
: not producing the proper or usual effect
an ineffectual attempt
2
ineffectually
-ˈfek-chə(-wə)-lē How to pronounce ineffectual (audio)
-ˈfeksh-wə-
adverb
ineffectualness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ineffectual

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