1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffectual effort to find the trail again did at least lead them to another stunning view of the canyon
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
The power struggle swirls around the saintly, ineffectual King Henry until gradually the dynamic York, who has pretended to support Margaret while secretly hatching his own plot, emerges as the chief contender for the throne.
—
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Others get more personal, as when Anushka (Meaghan Rath), the ineffectual chief ethicist at a Google-like giant, and her oddball inventor husband, Martin (Simon Helberg), butt heads over her skepticism of his work.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Others get more personal, as when Anushka (Meaghan Rath), the ineffectual chief ethicist at a Google-like giant, and her oddball inventor husband, Martin (Simon Helberg), butt heads over her skepticism of his work.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
-
Acetate supplementation could replace vertical farming, which has been largely unsuccessful, and enable the use of plants as factories for producing pharmaceuticals, vaccines, or other high-value ingredients that improve our health—all without competing for farmland.—
Derek Norman,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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If an actor is unsuccessful, their information will be retained only for as long as the Casting Director reasonably considers necessary for record-keeping purposes.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Repeating the futile methods of the past will yield no new results.—
Mark Osborne,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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His futile dreams of Mexico were not a metaphor for a life frustrated by unresolved dreams.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ignoring their perspectives on the redesign of global trade infrastructure would be both strategically shortsighted and economically inefficient.—
Meelan Gupta,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Failing to replace your filter when needed can lead to an inefficient AC system.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Preliminary tests of the model conducted by NBC News, along with many examples shared on social media, found Anthropic’s protections took a broad view of potential suspicious activity, rendering the system useless for many mundane queries.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
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Resident Raymond Hanley said his concern is that anti-pollution systems that Silverman would install in its parking lots and roadways could become useless if property maintenance is cut back in the future.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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But Canada’s all-time leading scorer sent an ineffective left-footed shot safely into Nikola Vasilj’s arms.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
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Knicks head coach Mike Brown relied on Alvarado with Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride mostly ineffective in Game 4.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Decades of studies have found that in many cases, incarcerating juveniles is counterproductive, in part because these young offenders have higher rates of rearrest than those who are diverted from prison.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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But this framing is counterproductive.—
Jamil Wyne,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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