futility

noun

fu·​til·​i·​ty fyü-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce futility (audio)
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile : uselessness
His speech focused on the futility of violence.
2
: a useless act or gesture
the futilities of debate for its own sakeW. A. White

Examples of futility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The pragmatists have reason to hope that the Israeli and American bombardment will ultimately strengthen their position by having shown the futility and destructiveness of Khamenei’s antagonism. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025 Perhaps a tipping point will come when Moscow begins to recognize the utter futility of this war and the long-term economic damage to Russia starts to outweigh the costs of acknowledging that the war’s political objective cannot be met. Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025 While making a paper airplane is an exercise in creativity, flying one is an exercise in functionality, if not futility. Michael Monson, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025 As the quality of (some) shows on Broadway improves, so does the difficulty and futility of ranking them. Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for futility

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French and Latin; French futilité, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin fūtilitāt-, fūtilitās (also futtilitāt-, futtilitās) "unprofitableness, uselessness," from fūtilis, futtilis "brittle, fragile (of containers), serving no purpose, pointless" + -itāt- -itās -ity — more at futile

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of futility was circa 1623

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Cite this Entry

“Futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/futility. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

futility

noun
fu·​til·​i·​ty ˌfyu̇-ˈtil-ət-ē How to pronounce futility (audio)
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile
2
: a useless act

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