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.
McDermott already owns as many playoff wins as Schottenheimer in a third of the time and has a long way to go to match Schottenheimer’s lifetime of Lombardi Trophy futility. Tim Graham, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024 But the futility of the current situation fuels Barr and those holding the line to support her cause. Major Garrett, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2024 The bottom line: After Johnson's 10 days of futility, look for the Senate's patience to run out fast. Axios, 19 Sep. 2024 Election analyst Nate Silver, speaking on Saturday, took both sides’ ability to see victory in the early voting patterns as a sign of the futility of drawing any significant conclusions. Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near futility

Cite this Entry

“Futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/futility. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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