futile
[fyoot-l, fyoo-tahyl]
- incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
- trifling; frivolous; unimportant.
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Origin of futile
1545–55; < Latin fūtilis, futtilis easily broken, vain, worthless, equivalent to fūt- (akin to fundere to pour, melt) + -ilis -ile
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com1. See useless.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
fruitlessworthlessimpracticalineffectivevaininsufficienthollowineffectualuselessunsuccessfulunproductiveunprofitabletrivialabortivebarrenbootlessdelusiveemptyexhaustedforlornExamples from the Web for futile
Contemporary Examples
LONDON—You want to know how awful, futile, and dehumanizing war is?
As a result, his rep rehab remains a lonely and futile mission.
The absurdity of North Korea now extends to its futile attempt to anticipate the whims of Mother Nature.
Their hope that this means the spotlight stays off them, however, will be futile: Brutally put, the papers prefer them to Charles.
When he finally became president, Nixon walked away from that war to prolong a futile one half a world away.
Historical Examples
The effort to make them "disgorge" is as continual as it is noisy, and, as a rule, futile.
'Tis Sixty Years SinceCharles Francis Adams
So, she fought no more, but left destiny to work its will unhampered by her futile strivings.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
But his well-meant attempt to assuage the stricken creature's wo was futile.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
He felt suddenly young and futile; his just rage turned to blustering in his ears.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
He should therefore smile at the futile attempt to excite his jealousy.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
futile
- having no effective result; unsuccessful
- pointless; unimportant; trifling
- inane or foolishdon't be so futile!
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin futtilis pouring out easily, worthless, from fundere to pour out
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for futile
adj.
1550s, from Middle French futile, from Latin futilis "vain, worthless, futile," literally "pouring out easily" (of a vessel), hence "easily emptied, leaky, unreliable," from base of fundere "pour, melt," from PIE root *gheu- "to pour" (see found (v.2)). Related: Futilely.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper