1
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
the prison is so well guarded that all attempts to escape have been futile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the futile chatter of gossip columnists about the comings and goings of Hollywood celebrities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 futile
Attempts by deputies and paramedics to revive him were futile, and he was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m.
—
Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Mexico later crashed out in the group stage, proving that hope is futile, but Ochoa’s class is timeless.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 23 July 2025
Even finding enough people to fill all the jobs that would be needed would be futile, given the size of the workforce and the unemployment rate.
—Sheldon H. Jacobson, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025
No one said anything at all. Democrats are not elected to throw their patties up in despair and tell us what is futile, what doesn’t matter.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Mexico later crashed out in the group stage, proving that hope is futile, but Ochoa’s class is timeless.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 23 July 2025
Even finding enough people to fill all the jobs that would be needed would be futile, given the size of the workforce and the unemployment rate.
—Sheldon H. Jacobson, Twin Cities, 23 July 2025
No one said anything at all. Democrats are not elected to throw their patties up in despair and tell us what is futile, what doesn’t matter.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for futile
Adjective
-
As in the first case, life-saving efforts were unsuccessful.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Although previous appeals have been unsuccessful, Arias has consistently expressed a desire to overturn her conviction.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Alcaraz and Sinner are early enough in their careers that debates around their legacies feel silly.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Evans described Steve as goofy, silly, and full of charm, with a love for food and people alike.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Likewise, even the best dashboard is useless if your team doesn't use it.—
Ramachander Rao Thallada,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
One newspaper here calling the summit, sickening, shameful, and, in the end, useless.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But his fiery presence on the court—and goofy persona off it—have made Medvedev a fan favorite.—
Brett Knight,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
David Ketchum, the goofy comic actor and prolific TV writer best known for squeezing into such stuffy spaces as vending machines, trash cans and airport lockers as Agent 13 on the fabled sitcom Get Smart, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The girls are giddy; excited about their adventure.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
4 Aug. 2025
-
The East German guards, many still in uniform but without their lethal machine guns, seemed amused, almost giddy.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Futile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/futile. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share