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 Being on the winning side comes after five frustrating and fruitless trips to the postseason in the previous six years. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026 Rowland-Smith quickly learned that asking Bazzana how his day went was a fruitless endeavor. Zack Meisel, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026 But the Padres hitters, who did have some long but fruitless at-bats, also missed on some pitches. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fruitless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fruitless
Adjective
  • Investigators said that an initial PIT maneuver was unsuccessful, but a second one caused the truck to crash into another vehicle and roll over onto its side – an incident that was caught on home surveillance video.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • Jeremy Brandon Johnson, 53, of Eveleth, was pronounced dead at the scene after lifesaving measures were unsuccessful.
    Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Seeking to eliminate Berber forces in the barren mountains of northern Morocco, seven soldiers obediently follow their fanatical sergeant (Víctor Clavijo) into barbarous depths of depravity.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 16 May 2026
  • Officials there have said that Iraqi army forces investigated reports of an unauthorized military force in the Nukhaib desert -- a barren area to the southwest of the cities of Karbala and Najaf -- in early March and came under fire while en route to the location.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • But this story has a happier, less futile ending.
    Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • To complain about cramps was futile.
    Nami Mun, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • That matters, especially after the sterile corporate monotony of the Napier era.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
  • Run the tap two to three minutes before collecting, use only the sterile bottle provided and keep the sample away from nonstick or treated surfaces.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • In other words, Greg had thought insomnia a problem of the rich, the weak, the useless, the indulgent, the lazy.
    Weike Wang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • But those GPUs are useless without the memory chips stacked alongside them, and Samsung’s three fabrication complexes in South Korea are among the most important pieces of the AI industrial boom.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Adjective
  • Or that Salieri once masturbated over his beloved piano in an unfruitful attempt to cure his writer’s block.
    Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
  • After an unfruitful weekend of bargaining, Natomas educators are preparing to strike Tuesday as district leaders ready themselves to keep schools open for around 17,000 students without classroom teachers.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 9 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fruitless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fruitless. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on fruitless

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster