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futile

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

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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RELATED WORDS

unsuccessfully, ineffectually, uselessly

Nearby words

  1. futa jallon,
  2. futabatei,
  3. futcher's line,
  4. futhark,
  5. futhorc,
  6. futilely,
  7. futilitarian,
  8. futility,
  9. futon,
  10. futsal

Origin of futile

1545–55; < Latin fūtilis, futtilis easily broken, vain, worthless, equivalent to fūt- (akin to fundere to pour, melt) + -ilis -ile
Related formsfu·tile·ly, adverbfu·tile·ness, nounnon·fu·tile, adjectiveun·fu·tile, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for futilely

British Dictionary definitions for futilely

futile

/ (ˈfjuːtaɪl) /

adjective

having no effective result; unsuccessful
pointless; unimportant; trifling
inane or foolishdon't be so futile!
Derived Formsfutilely, adverbfutileness, noun

Word Origin for futile

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012