1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffectual effort to find the trail again did at least lead them to another stunning view of the canyon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
The men in their lives are bumbling, terrible or just ineffectual.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
But two factors are important to keep in mind to help explain why even trying to front-run a White House announcement would be ineffectual.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
For a business, a high-speed connection can mean the difference between productive or ineffectual operations, customer satisfaction or abandonment, and ultimately profit or loss.
—Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
But two factors are important to keep in mind to help explain why even trying to front-run a White House announcement would be ineffectual.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
For a business, a high-speed connection can mean the difference between productive or ineffectual operations, customer satisfaction or abandonment, and ultimately profit or loss.
—Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
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Each unsuccessful vote will be burned in a furnace with chemicals to dye the plume a black color.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
2 May 2025
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During his unsuccessful 2022 congressional bid, Kent consulted with Nick Fuentes, the young white supremacist, and hired a campaign adviser who was a member of the Proud Boys, a violent far-right group.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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These results, though significant, don’t necessarily mean that efforts to effectively mitigate deepfakes are futile.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2025
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The similarly futile attempts to portray John Walker as a flawed but good man, despite his callous rage and murderous tendencies?—
Nola Pfau,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The inefficient conversion method provides further evidence that this was indeed a theft rather than a legitimate holder diversifying their portfolio.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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Using one that’s old and worn out will be inefficient at best and give you a rash or razor burn at worst.—
Megan Gustashaw,
Glamour,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In one sense, Henry is the kind of useless man who creates hard times with his own passivity.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
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Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin Like many a controversial Y2K trend, the useless hip belt has made its way back into the sartorial zeitgeist with trendsetters like Emily Ratajkowski and Dua Lipa reviving the aesthetic in recent seasons.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The intraparty wrangling has also hit the Democratic National Committee, where leaders are pressuring Hogg to drop a push to primary some Democratic incumbents deemed ineffective and aging.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
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The Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some constitutional scholars still maintain that hair-on-fire rhetoric about the demise of the republic is counterproductive.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Peter Ricci, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, predicted the measure, if passed would be counterproductive.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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