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 paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "futile":

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

How to pronounce futile?

Alex

US English

Daniel

British

Karen

Australian

Veena

Indian

How to say futile in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use futile in a sentence?

1. Ken Owen:

   Once in five years we get a chance to voice our disapproval, a futile exercise.

2. Mickey Mehta:

   Man certainly is superior but mother nature is the absolute & the supreme. Don't even try to exceed the supreme it will be futile, instead try and merge with it transcending your own being. Then you will be at ultimate ease, life will simply be a breeze. Merge with divinity and capitalize, from superior become supreme and MickeyMize.

3. RAS CARDO REGGAE:

   ***(C)(P) ITS FUTILE LOOKING FOR -MOTIVES- WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW THE REASONS AS TO WHY CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN. AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY WILL NOT A SAFE SOLUTION MAKE. MOST THINGS ARE CASUALLY RELATED. IF A=B, AND B=C, THEN A=C.

4. Steven Butler:

   Gag orders are futile in a case of global interest in the digital age, we urge Australian authorities to drop these proceedings and to re-examine the application of such suppression orders.

5. Anuj Somany:

   The clients are loyal to their benefits and not to any brand or sales person, so it is futile on part of an organisation to think that it can replicate its competitors’ business growth by just recruiting or poaching their star performer unless and until it offers him the same working policy, strategy, culture and environment.

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