futile

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.

Expectations of any major breakthroughs were low, with Hezbollah's leader Naim Qassem calling for the talks to be scrapped before they even began, describing them as "futile".

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Harrison said he expects restrictions like those requested of Planet to become more common, but increasingly more futile as the industry expands and new providers emerge across the globe.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

He observes that, from an engineering perspective, it might be futile to try making machines that are fully human—after all, our various abilities have been refined through a lengthy, data-rich evolution.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Standing in front of him every day and trying to ask him salient questions was often futile.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

For decades, black elites engaged in private rescue efforts to make black communities tidy, clean, and respectable in a futile effort to gain white approval.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander