1
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
the prison is so well guarded that all attempts to escape have been futile
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of futile
Some days that hope can seem futile.
—
Douglas Brinkley,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Salah, who previously scored two goals in Egypt’s futile 2018 World Cup group effort despite playing with an injured shoulder, looked to his right when a question came in English about what this means for him, personally, after his season.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Fahd, cradling his bloodied baby, pressing his hand to Sam’s head in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding.
—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
The suit recounts the rapid deterioration — and futile attempts to salvage — what for a long time had been a mutually beneficial professional and artistic partnership.
—
Mary Carole McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for futile
Douglas Brinkley,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Salah, who previously scored two goals in Egypt’s futile 2018 World Cup group effort despite playing with an injured shoulder, looked to his right when a question came in English about what this means for him, personally, after his season.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Fahd, cradling his bloodied baby, pressing his hand to Sam’s head in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding.
—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
The suit recounts the rapid deterioration — and futile attempts to salvage — what for a long time had been a mutually beneficial professional and artistic partnership.
—
Mary Carole McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for futile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for futile
Adjective
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Her 36-year-old NFL star boyfriend was also coming off another season playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, which ended with an unsuccessful campaign for a third consecutive Super Bowl ring.
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However, the efforts were unsuccessful, according to the statement.
Adjective
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Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
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Some scenes in the movie are light and silly, including those pairing Maddie with a lesbian friend, played by Kate Berlant, who clearly loves her.
Adjective
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At any rate, upon election my first official act would be to file legislation to do away with the useless job.
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An ultra-secure cloud environment is useless if the identity management policy is lax or if access privileges are not reviewed on a strict need-to-know basis.
Adjective
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Margaret, what the president said is just goofy word salad.
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As Buffy’s bafoonish brother, Dave Sheridan played an unlikely killer (though Doofy GIlmore ends up being far less goofy than originally expected).
Adjective
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Ureña, a 22-year-old right-hander who has emerged as another potential ace, speaks of Soriano with a giddy amusement mixed with a solemn respect for how the starter has survived in the big leagues.
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For now, the stock market and the credit market are telling slightly different stories about the same companies, one giddy and one wary.
Cite this Entry
“Futile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/futile. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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