futile
Americanadjective
-
incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful.
Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
-
trifling; frivolous; unimportant.
adjective
-
having no effective result; unsuccessful
-
pointless; unimportant; trifling
-
inane or foolish
don't be so futile!
Synonym Usage
See useless.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of futile
First recorded in 1545â55; from Latin fÅ«tilis, futtilis âeasily broken, vain, worthless,â equivalent to fÅ«t- (akin to fundere âto pour, meltâ) + -ilis -ile
Explanation
When something fails to deliver a useful result, you can call it futile. Hopefully all the time you're spending studying vocabulary won't turn out to be futile! Futile comes from the Latin futilis, which originally meant "leaky." Although we use futile to talk about more than buckets, the image of a leaky vessel is a good illustration of the adjective. Pouring water into a leaky bucket is futile. Your exercise program will be futile if you don't stop chowing down on chocolate. Futile is fancier than its synonym useless. Other synonyms are fruitless or vain. The i can be either short (FYOO-t'l) or long (FYOO-tile).
Vocabulary lists containing futile
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com â one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
I Am Malala
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more â and it's all completely free to use!
The Hunger Games
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com â we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"It certainly makes the entire justice system and the principles that it is built on seem futile in the eyes of the criminals," Mr Hall said.
From BBC ⢠Jun. 23, 2026
The gesture was futile, but the lesson wasn’t.
From The Wall Street Journal ⢠May 20, 2026
Under the circumstances, it is no wonder that “turning the page” was futile, and would be again.
From Salon ⢠May 18, 2026
A team led by Lawrence Kazak at McGill University's Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute has now identified the molecular trigger for this alternative system, known as the futile creatine cycle.
From Science Daily ⢠May 12, 2026
“Look, I know I’m late,” he said quickly at her appraisal, needlessly adjusting the collar of his shirt and making a futile attempt at raking his hair back into place.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
