futile
adjective/ˈfjuːtaɪl/
/ˈfjuːtl/
- having no purpose because there is no chance of success synonym pointless
- a futile attempt/exercise/gesture
- Their efforts to revive him were futile.
- It would be futile to protest.
- My appeal proved futile.
Extra ExamplesTopics Difficulty and failurec2- She made one last futile effort to unlock the door.
- She wrapped her arms around her in a futile attempt to keep warm.
- an utterly futile struggle for justice
- It was a futile gesture as the real damage had already been done.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- prove
- seem
- …
- completely
- entirely
- quite
- …
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin futilis ‘leaky, futile’, apparently from fundere ‘pour’.
Check pronunciation:
futile