Synonyms for futile
ˈfyut l, ˈfyu taɪl

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile, ineffectual, otiose, unavailing(adj)

   producing no result or effect

   "a futile effort"; "the therapy was ineffectual"; "an otiose undertaking"; "an unavailing attempt"

   Synonyms:
   senseless, ineffectual, bootless, work-shy, otiose, vain, purposeless, slothful, superfluous, unavailing, sleeveless, indolent, uneffective, faineant, pointless, wasted, unable, lazy, ineffective, fruitless

   Antonyms:
   useful, utile, productive

2. bootless, fruitless, futile, sleeveless, vain(adj)

   unproductive of success

   "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt"

   Synonyms:
   unavailing, otiose, self-conceited, fruitless, egotistic, vain, conceited, swollen-headed, swollen, bootless, ineffectual, egotistical, sleeveless

   Antonyms:
   useful, utile, productive

Wiktionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile(adjective)

   Synonyms:
   ineffectual, fruitless, vain, unavailing, idle

   Antonyms:
   effective, effectual

2. futile(adjective)

   Incapable of producing results; useless; not successful; not worth attempting.

   Synonyms:
   idle, unavailing, vain, fruitless, ineffectual

   Antonyms:
   effective, effectual

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile

   Vain (Latin vanus, empty) keeps the etymological idea through all changes of meaning; a vain endeavor is empty of result, or of adequate power to produce a result, a vain pretension is empty or destitute of support, a vain person has a conceit that is empty or destitute of adequate cause or reason. That which is bootless, fruitless, or profitless fails to accomplish any valuable result; that which is abortive, ineffectual, or unavailing fails to accomplish a result that it was, or was supposed to be, adapted to accomplish. That which is useless, futile, or vain is inherently incapable of accomplishing a specified result. Useless, in the widest sense, signifies not of use for any valuable purpose, and is thus closely similar to valueless and worthless. Fruitless is more final than ineffectual, as applying to the sum or harvest of endeavor. That which is useless lacks actual fitness for a purpose; that which is vain lacks imaginable fitness. Compare VACANT; OSTENTATION; PRIDE.

   Compare synonyms for UTILITY.

   Synonyms:
   abortive, baseless, bootless, deceitful, delusive, empty, fruitless, idle, inconstant, ineffectual, nugatory, null, profitless, shadowy, trifling, trivial, unavailing, unimportant, unprofitable, unreal, unsatisfying, unserviceable, unsubstantial, useless, vain, vapid, visionary, worthless

   Antonyms:
   adequate, advantageous, beneficial, competent, effective, efficient, expedient, potent, powerful, profitable, real, serviceable, solid, sound, substantial, sufficient, useful, valid, valuable, worthy

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile

   Synonyms:
   weak, ineffective, useless, nugatory, unavailing, vain, trifling

   Antonyms:
   powerful, effective, cogent, useful, solid, substantial

Dictionary of English Synonymes(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile(a.)

   Synonyms:
   trifling, frivolous, trivial

2. futile(a.)

   Synonyms:
   worthless, valueless, profitless, fruitless, bootless, vain, idle, unprofitable

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. futile(a)

   Synonyms:
   vain, bootless, ineffectual, unavailing, abortive, useless

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. List of paraphrases:

   useless, pointless, vain, fruitless, frivolous, sterile, unnecessary, trivial, meaningless, unhelpful, worthless, unsuccessful, senseless, needless, unproductive

How to pronounce futile?

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US English

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British

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Australian

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Indian

How to say futile in sign language?

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How to use futile in a sentence?

1. Anuj Somany:

   The primary responsibility is to ask to oneself before wearing a mask of anyone in any function if that would help anyhow to inculcate his/her any quality or it is just a futile task.

2. Clarence Darrow:

   We know life is futile. A man who considers that his life is of very wonderful importance is awfully close to a padded cell.

3. Nancy Pelosi:

   With only four legislative days left until the Republican Homeland Security Shutdown, Speaker Boehner made it clear that Speaker Boehner has no plan to avoid a government shutdown, the speaker's reliance on talking points and finger-pointing was a sad reflection of the fact that the Tea Party continues to hold the gavel as Senate Democrats insist on Senate Democrats futile anti-immigrant grandstanding.

4. Anuj Somany:

   It is always a futile effort to correct or make two types of people understand the worthwhile words, thoughts or proverbs. One who is an imbecile and other who has a vile character.

5. Dejan Stojanovic:

   It is futile to spend time telling stories about the fleetness of each day.

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