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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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 ineffectual
The men in their lives are bumbling, terrible or just ineffectual.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
But two factors are important to keep in mind to help explain why even trying to front-run a White House announcement would be ineffectual.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
For a business, a high-speed connection can mean the difference between productive or ineffectual operations, customer satisfaction or abandonment, and ultimately profit or loss.
—Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025
But two factors are important to keep in mind to help explain why even trying to front-run a White House announcement would be ineffectual.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
For a business, a high-speed connection can mean the difference between productive or ineffectual operations, customer satisfaction or abandonment, and ultimately profit or loss.
—Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
-
But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Meanwhile, Min and Chris’ closest friends, Kelly Marie Tran’s Angela, a research scientist, and Lily Gladstone’s Lee, an Indigenous community organizer, have been struggling to conceive a child; Lee has just found out that her second round of IVF has been unsuccessful.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Another recommendation: Attacking Trump’s character, however abhorrent critics may find it, is futile.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Regardless, returning him would be futile, said the president’s aides, as his ultimate fate would be imprisonment, in the United States or elsewhere.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Hardware orders in late March reached new records, indicating operators are swapping out inefficient rigs rather than capitulating.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
-
More importantly, Brunson is coming off a 34-point night in Game 1 despite a rare inefficient shooting night.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Once the borer has entered the stem, insecticides are useless.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Though small, the defect made the telescope mostly useless to astronomers.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The intraparty wrangling has also hit the Democratic National Committee, where leaders are pressuring Hogg to drop a push to primary some Democratic incumbents deemed ineffective and aging.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2025
-
The Crown’s offensive diversity — featuring 10 different goal scorers this season — proved ineffective against New England’s tactical discipline.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Some constitutional scholars still maintain that hair-on-fire rhetoric about the demise of the republic is counterproductive.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Peter Ricci, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, predicted the measure, if passed would be counterproductive.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share