Synonyms

futile

American

[fyoot-l, fyoo-tahyl] / ˈfyut l, ˈfyu taɪl /

adjective

incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful.

Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
trifling; frivolous; unimportant.

futile British

/ ˈfjuːtaɪl /

adjective

having no effective result; unsuccessful
pointless; unimportant; trifling
inane or foolish

don't be so futile!

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See useless.

Other Word Forms

futilely adverb
futileness noun
nonfutile adjective
unfutile adjective

Etymology

Origin of futile

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin fūtilis, futtilis “easily broken, vain, worthless,” equivalent to fūt- (akin to fundere “to pour, melt”) + -ilis -ile

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In today’s coarsened climate, fretting about rules of politeness seems futile.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

For now, mining is largely done in ways reminiscent of the United States' gold rush in the 19th century, when so many ended up exhausted in a futile hunt for treasure.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

So you’re not saying that that is a pointless exercise, that the pushback is futile because none of this has meaning.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2026

Potts was asked to bowl one more futile spell of bouncers, with the maddening Smith playing tennis-style smashes and signalling a wide to the umpires.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

He suddenly saw how futile, how ridiculous the situation was.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023