futile

ineffectual; useless; incapable of producing any result; not successful: Trying to get the horse to drink water was futile.

Not to be confused with:

fu·tile

(fyo͞ot′l, fyo͞o′tīl′)

adj.

Having no useful result; ineffectual: a futile attempt to renegotiate the contract.

[Latin fūtilis; see gheu- in Indo-European roots.]

fu′tile·ly adv.

fu′tile·ness n.

Synonyms: futile, barren, bootless, fruitless, ineffectual, pointless, unavailing, useless, vain
These adjectives mean producing no result or effect: a futile effort; barren research; bootless entreaties; fruitless labors; ineffectual treatments; pointless comments; an unavailing attempt; a useless discussion; vain regrets.

Antonym: useful

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

futile

(ˈfjuːtaɪl)

adj

1. having no effective result; unsuccessful

2. pointless; unimportant; trifling

3. inane or foolish: don't be so futile!.

[C16: from Latin futtilis pouring out easily, worthless, from fundere to pour out]

ˈfutilely adv

ˈfutileness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fu•tile

(ˈfyut l, ˈfyu taɪl)

adj.

1. incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempts to swim across the stormy channel were futile.

2. trifling; frivolous.

[1545–55; < Latin fūtilis, futtilis brittle, vain, worthless, perhaps =fū- (akin to fundere to pour, melt) + -tilis -tile]

fu′tile•ly, adv.

fu′tile•ness, n.

syn: See useless.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	futile - producing no result or effect; "a futile effort"; "the therapy was ineffectual"; "an otiose undertaking"; "an unavailing attempt" unavailing, ineffectual, otiose useless - having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully; "a kitchen full of useless gadgets"; "she is useless in an emergency"
	2.	futile - unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt" bootless, fruitless, sleeveless, vain unproductive - not producing or capable of producing; "elimination of high-cost or unproductive industries"

futile

adjective

1. useless, vain, unsuccessful, pointless, empty, hollow, in vain, worthless, barren, sterile, fruitless, forlorn, unproductive, abortive, to no avail, ineffectual, unprofitable, valueless, unavailing, otiose, profitless, nugatory, without rhyme or reason, bootless a futile attempt to ward off the blow
useless successful, effective, useful, valuable, profitable, worthwhile, constructive, fruitful, purposeful

2. trivial, pointless, trifling, unimportant She doesn't want to comment. It's too futile.
trivial important, significant

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

futile

adjective

Having no useful result:

barren, bootless, fruitless, unavailing, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain.

Idiom: in vain.

Translations

عَقيم، غَيْر فَعّال

marnýzbytečný

forgævesnytteløs

nutzlos sinnlos vergeblich

inútil

futilenawakvain abortif

gagnslaus, árangurslaus

futile futilit...inutile vano

beprasmybė

veltīgsvelts

fåfengt ørkesløs

meningslös

boş yararsız

无用的

futile

[ˈfjuːtaɪl] ADJ [attempt] → vano; [suggestion] → fútil

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

futile

[ˈfjuːtaɪl] adj [attempt, search] → infructueux/euse, vain(e)
Resistance is futile → La résistance est vaine.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

futile

adj → sinnlos; plan, idea → nutzlos; effort, attempt (usu attr: = in vain) → vergeblich; (usu pred: = pointless) → nutzlos

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

futile

[ˈfjuːtaɪl] adj → futile, vano/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

futile

(ˈfjuːtail) , (ˈfjuːtl) adjective

useless; having no effect. a futile attempt.

fuˈtility (-ˈti-) noun

uselessness. He realized the futility of trying to continue his journey.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Yet he battled on, striking futile blows against great, hispid breasts he could not see; feeling thick, squat throats beneath his fingers; the drool of saliva upon his cheek, and hot, foul breath in his nostrils.

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In futile rage Muda Saffir called down the most terrible curses of Allah and his Prophet upon the head of Ninaka and his progeny to the fifth generation, and upon the shades of his forefathers, and upon the grim skulls which hung from the rafters of his long-house.

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She was visited by no more outbursts, moving her to such futile expedients.

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At that moment Godfrey felt all the bitterness of an error that was not simply futile, but had defeated its own end.

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As for talkers and futile persons, they are commonly vain and credulous withal.

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So presently she gave up the futile effort and lay quietly, looking through half-closed lids at the faces of the man who strode easily through the tangled undergrowth with her.

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At first she refused; but when a dozen black cavalrymen drew up behind their leader, and at Abdul Mourak's command one of them started to climb the tree after her she realized that resistance was futile, and came slowly down to stand upon the ground before this new captor and plead her cause in the name of justice and humanity.

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With growing admiration came a feeling of quick pity for the hapless situation of the great brute rendered futile and helpless by the wiles of the Gomangani.

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Dimmesdale, on the very day when Hester Prynne first wore her ignominious badge, had begun a course of penance -- which he afterwards, in so many futile methods, followed out -- by inflicting a hideous torture on himself.

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This is an idea not superficial or futile, but solid and weighty.

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Immediately seven great fleets, each of one hundred mighty war ships, had been dispatched to search for Dejah Thoris, and from these vessels two thousand smaller craft had been kept out continuously in futile search for the missing princess.

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Greetings over, I stumbled out something about Emelia Ivanovitch and forty roubles, and then came to a dead halt, for his eyes told me that my errand had been futile. "No." said he, "I have no money.

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