Definition of fruitlessnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fruitless different from other adjectives like it?

The words futile and vain are common synonyms of fruitless. While all three words mean "producing no result," fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment.

fruitless efforts to obtain a lasting peace

When might futile be a better fit than fruitless?

The words futile and fruitless are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertaking.

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

When can vain be used instead of fruitless?

The words vain and fruitless can be used in similar contexts, but vain usually implies simple failure to achieve a desired result.

a vain attempt to get the car started

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fruitless With Disney’s stranglehold on the market, such investments might be fruitless. HubSpot, 1 June 2026 Oh, and sure, his impact on Wolves’ season was fleeting and ultimately fruitless. Steve Madeley, New York Times, 28 May 2026 One kidney specialist, who requested anonymity to discuss their use of a tool that had not been explicitly approved by their hospital system, said that OpenEvidence regularly saved them 30 minutes of fruitless searching through older systems — including UpToDate. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 13 May 2026 The meeting was fruitless, with both sides pointing fingers at each other for the failure to reach a deal. Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fruitless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fruitless
Adjective
  • Acetate supplementation could replace vertical farming, which has been largely unsuccessful, and enable the use of plants as factories for producing pharmaceuticals, vaccines, or other high-value ingredients that improve our health—all without competing for farmland.
    Derek Norman, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • If an actor is unsuccessful, their information will be retained only for as long as the Casting Director reasonably considers necessary for record-keeping purposes.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • Several cattle grazed in the distance, but the barren land by the road seemed abandoned.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
  • Hundreds of booths stand barren behind a chain-link fence, mostly stripped to their skeletal remains and covered in fabric or tarp.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Adjective
  • Repeating the futile methods of the past will yield no new results.
    Mark Osborne, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • His futile dreams of Mexico were not a metaphor for a life frustrated by unresolved dreams.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • The eradication was the result of multiple sterile fly programs across the south that cost roughly $42 million in the mid 1960s, the equivalent of about $452 million today.
    Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • Blame game Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has been a critic of the US response to screwworm, demanding that the USDA begin using the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a type of pesticide and bait, in addition to sterile fly releases.
    Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • Preliminary tests of the model conducted by NBC News, along with many examples shared on social media, found Anthropic’s protections took a broad view of potential suspicious activity, rendering the system useless for many mundane queries.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 11 June 2026
  • Resident Raymond Hanley said his concern is that anti-pollution systems that Silverman would install in its parking lots and roadways could become useless if property maintenance is cut back in the future.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • Rees’ only previous NFL play-calling experience was nine unfruitful games for the Browns last season under new Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski.
    Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 2 Feb. 2026
  • But if those efforts are unfruitful, the property can be turned over to the state.
    Addy Bink, The Hill, 23 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fruitless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fruitless. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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