futile

adjective

fu·​tile ˈfyü-tᵊl  ˈfyü-ˌtī(-ə)l 

1

: serving no useful purpose : completely ineffective

efforts to convince him were futile

2

: occupied with trifles : frivolous

futilely

ˈfyü-tᵊl-(l)ē 

-ˌtī(-ə)l-lē

adverb

futileness

ˈfyü-tᵊl-nəs 

-ˌtī(-ə)l-nəs

noun

Did you know?

Futile broke into 16th-century English as a Latinate borrowing from Middle French. The Latin derivative, fūtilis, was used to describe things that are brittle or fragile and, by extension, things serving no purpose or being pointless. These meanings survive in the English futile, which denotes ineffectiveness or frivolousness. In 1827, English author Robert Southey found use for the word by blending it into utilitarian to form futilitarian, a word that is used for anyone who believes that human striving is futile—that is, ineffective and/or frivolous.

Synonyms

• abortive
• barren
• bootless
• empty
• fruitless
• ineffective
• ineffectual
• inefficacious
• otiose
• profitless
• unavailing
• unproductive
• unprofitable
• unsuccessful
• useless
• vain

Choose the Right Synonym for futile

futile, vain, fruitless mean producing no result.

futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertaking.

resistance had proved so futile that surrender was the only choice left

vain usually implies simple failure to achieve a desired result.

a vain attempt to get the car started

fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment.

fruitless efforts to obtain a lasting peace

Examples of futile in a Sentence

In a digitized land of national ID cards, dropping out will be impossible, and dreaming about it will be futile. —Walter Kirn, Atlantic, May 2002

After Redemption and disfranchisement destroyed black political influence, open challenges to white supremacy were futile and dangerous. —Adam Fairclough, Journal of American History, June 2000

In some futile bid for gentility, the management has barred employees from using the front door, so my first day I enter through the kitchen … —Barbara Ehrenreich, Harper's, January 1999

In 1845 explorer Charles Sturt led an expedition through these parts on a futile search for an inland sea. —Thomas O'Neill, National Geographic, April 1997

All our efforts proved futile.

a futile and foolish gesture

Recent Examples on the Web

Iraqi militias, which are closer in proximity than the Houthis, have also made attempts, mostly futile, at hitting Israel. —Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024

There is no point in restoring one tributary of a polluted river without tackling the whole basin — the problem will only resurface, and the investment will be rendered futile. —1000 Landscapes For 1 Billion People, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin fūtilis, futtilis "brittle, fragile (of containers), serving no purpose, pointless," perhaps (if original sense was "leaky") from fū- (going back to Indo-European *ǵ^heu̯- "pour, shed") + -tilis "obtained by, characterized by (the action of the verb)" — more at found entry 5

First Known Use

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

futile

adjective

fu·​tile ˈfyüt-ᵊl  ˈfyü-ˌtīl 

1

: having no result or effect : useless

all our efforts proved futile

a futile and foolish gesture

2

: concerned with unimportant matters

futile pleasures

futilely

-ᵊl-(l)ē 

-ˌtīl-lē

adverb

futileness

-ᵊl-nəs 

-ˌtīl-nəs

noun