as in uselessness
the quality or state of being useless
The two engaged in a long discussion on the futility of war. He felt saddened by the apparent futility of his efforts to console her.
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Recent Examples of futility
The first is to expose Hamas’s criminality and the futility of its terror, which has led to the annihilation of Gaza.
—
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
The Angels lost, 7-6, to the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, falling to a team that for much of the year was on pace to break record for futility set by the Chicago White Sox last season.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
In the Enshittocene, trading utility for futility is a form of resistance.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
But time and again, you’re met with feelings of futility and frustration.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futility
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
The Angels lost, 7-6, to the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, falling to a team that for much of the year was on pace to break record for futility set by the Chicago White Sox last season.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
In the Enshittocene, trading utility for futility is a form of resistance.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
But time and again, you’re met with feelings of futility and frustration.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for futility
Noun
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At New York Fashion Week, beauty acted as a moment of reprise from the hopelessness many are feeling in the current state of the world.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 Sep. 2025
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The film certainly steers clear of Emmerichian overdrive, but it is suffused with hopelessness — on both an intimate and an epic scale.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The staff didn’t plan on playing Zackery or Golden much this season, but didn’t have much choice after injuries and ineffectiveness forced a rethink.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Despite the offense’s ineffectiveness Friday, TCU’s defense kept the Horned Frogs afloat with countless stops deep in their own territory — like when linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr broke up a would-be touchdown in the second half.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Brands that rely solely on AI risk not just irrelevance, but inefficacy.—
Sean DallasKidd,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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As research highlighted the inefficacy and unintended consequences of these laws, states rolled them back or modified them, mostly by partially repealing them or reducing the severity of mandatory sentences.—
John Leverso,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Testosterone replacement therapy is designed to restore normal hormone levels in men with deficiency, not to boost or optimize performance, Munger noted.—
Shiv Sudhakar,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Rocha also has language deficiencies and has low cognitive functioning, testing with an IQ of 81 as a child, according to Reynolds.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/futility. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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