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
Truly, skimping on this step will render everything else futile.
—
Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
But it's undoubtedly been an impressive run of success for this historically futile franchise, and Preller deserves much of the credit.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Future offensives by Russia would then become strategically futile, and thus not worth attempting.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
When stress spikes, the idea of taking a deep breath can seem like a futile life hack.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Essence, 23 Sep. 2025
But it's undoubtedly been an impressive run of success for this historically futile franchise, and Preller deserves much of the credit.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Future offensives by Russia would then become strategically futile, and thus not worth attempting.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
When stress spikes, the idea of taking a deep breath can seem like a futile life hack.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for futile
Adjective
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The pose Harris struck and held through her unsuccessful 2024 campaign for the White House is called the good soldier.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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Now, after years of mostly unsuccessful efforts to eliminate windows from cabins, one luxury jet maker appears to be on the verge of doing just that.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Count Dracula remains a fixture in the horror genre, having been featured in movies that range from scary and sexy to silly and satirical.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Anderson’s synthesis of all of these themes, motifs, and silly gags into One Battle After Another, which saw Anderson’s biggest movie opening ever last month, shows how Pynchon’s ideas have not only aged well but are more visible and relevant.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Because social platforms have not trained their detection models on sufficient non-English-language and non-Western data, much of the AI-fakes detection technology is still very shaky, if not useless, in the Global South and across the developing world.—
John Wihbey,
Big Think,
7 Oct. 2025
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House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) suggested on Friday that returning to Washington would be all but useless.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And Kailey Agpaoa is goofy and funny as Doctor Sister, a self-sacrificing but fierce young woman who has given up her dreams to care of her aging parents while her older sister has a husband and medical career.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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And so, the film’s spartan spell is undone by snatches of pedestrian drama and goofy, surreal symbolism.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The long drive back to Yolo County late Saturday evening wasn’t such a bore for the UC Davis football coach, his giddy group of Aggies and suddenly weary and sleep-ready sons.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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The Brewers are giddy with the chance to show up the manager who left them for more money and supposedly a better team in Chicago.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Futile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/futile. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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