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futile

See definition of futile on Dictionary.com

synonyms for futile

  • fruitless
  • hollow
  • impractical
  • ineffective
  • ineffectual
  • insufficient
  • trivial
  • unproductive
  • unprofitable
  • unsuccessful
  • useless
  • vain
  • worthless
  • abortive
  • barren
  • bootless
  • delusive
  • empty
  • exhausted
  • forlorn
  • idle
  • impracticable
  • in vain
  • no dice
  • nugatory
  • on a treadmill
  • otiose
  • out the window
  • profitless
  • resultless
  • save one's breath
  • sterile
  • to no avail
  • to no effect
  • to no purpose
  • trifling
  • unavailing
  • unimportant
  • unneeded
  • unreal
  • unsatisfactory
  • unsubstantial
  • valueless
See also synonyms for: futilely
On this page you'll find 104 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to futile, such as: fruitless, hollow, impractical, ineffective, ineffectual, and insufficient.

antonyms for futile

MOST RELEVANT
  • effective
  • fruitful
  • helpful
  • productive
  • profitable
  • successful
  • useful
  • valuable
  • worthwhile
  • hopeful
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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How to use futile in a sentence

First, they must be trained, and training large numbers of animals that don’t live very long is expensive, time-consuming, and somewhat futile.
THE DOCTOR WILL SNIFF YOU NOW - ISSUE 95: ESCAPELINA ZELDOVICHFEBRUARY 3, 2021NAUTILUS
The Washington Post and 17 other newspapers obtained their own set of the papers from Ellsberg and continued to publish as federal prosecutors dashed from city to city in a futile effort to obtain injunctions that would stop the presses.
SEEING THE PENTAGON PAPERS IN A NEW LIGHTBY STEPHEN ENGELBERGFEBRUARY 3, 2021PROPUBLICA
Local leaders protest, but those protests are futile, and rigid new security protocols are enforced.
THE DANGER OF RIGHT-WING MOBS IS REAL. FENCING AT THE U.S. CAPITOL WON’T HELP.PHILIP KENNICOTTFEBRUARY 1, 2021WASHINGTON POST
Even after Wednesday’s riots, more than 100 lawmakers supported a futile attempt to overturn the election.
FOX NEWS WANTS ITS VIEWERS ANGRY ENOUGH TO WATCH BUT NOT ANGRY ENOUGH TO RIOTPETER KAFKAJANUARY 7, 2021VOX
“We’ve been trying to get ahead of it, and plan and plan and get the details out, and we’ve figured out that that’s a pretty futile effort,” he said.
SALES ARE UP FOR THE SKI AND SNOWBOARD INDUSTRY DESPITE COVID LOCKDOWNSRACHEL SCHALLOMDECEMBER 16, 2020FORTUNE
Social media fatigue and community loss on apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat have made the possibility of connection appear even more futile.
HOW AOC SHOWED POLITICIANS THE POWER OF LIVE-STREAMINGMATTHEWHEIMERDECEMBER 8, 2020FORTUNE
Major college football programs supply dozens of tests each day, an attempt — futile as it has been — to maintain health and prevent schedule interruptions.
AS THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES GET CORONAVIRUS TESTS, NURSES WONDER: WHAT ABOUT US?KENT BABBDECEMBER 3, 2020WASHINGTON POST
They are potent caregivers one minute and futile witnesses the next, scrubbing their hands until their knuckles crack and ooze.
EMMA GLASS’S ‘REST AND BE THANKFUL’ POWERFULLY DESCRIBES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HEALTH-CARE WORKERPETE TOSIELLODECEMBER 2, 2020WASHINGTON POST
Her directness had made all possible 'buts' seem ridiculous and futile, and had made the expression of curiosity seem offensive.
HILDA LESSWAYSARNOLD BENNETT
I kept a stiff backbone for a while, but presently a futile rage against circumstances bubbled up and boiled over.
RAW GOLDBERTRAND W. SINCLAIR
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
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capacitor

WORDS RELATED TO FUTILE

  • failed
  • failing
  • fruitless
  • futile
  • ineffective
  • ineffectual
  • unavailing
  • unproductive
  • unsuccessful
  • useless
  • vain
  • worthless
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.