fool's errand
noun
: a needless or profitless endeavor
"No, no. You forced me into visiting him last year, and promised, if I went to see him, he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again."—
Jane Austen
Jane AustenPredicting what will happen with China is a fool's errand. China is the exception that proves so many rules wrong.—John Feffer
John FefferWhile trying to change European opinion of America is not exactly a fool's errand, neither should we expect much from the effort.—James W. Ceaser
James W. CeaserExamples of fool's errand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Tammie Brown Making sense of drag queen Tammie Brown's wacky mind is a fool's errand — and yet, RuPaul casting her to help launch the inaugural season of Drag Race seems an obvious choice, in hindsight, within the Drag Race fantasy.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
With trade, fiscal, immigration and regulatory policies all in extreme flux, charting how the economy will fare over the next couple of years is a fool's errand.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
Plus, relying upon the largesse of car companies is usually a fool's errand, as F1 history shows over and over again.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Relying on our politicians having any sense of morality is, clearly, a fool's errand.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
That won't solve all this team's problems, but if this team continues to find itself in close games every week, better field-goal kicking could prove pivotal.
Texans vs. Jets Prediction
Predicting what the Jets will do next is a fool's errand.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The presence of an electric Equinox where competitors offer hybrids that still burn some gasoline makes comparing for the most efficient models a fool's errand.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 17 Oct. 2024
The Iraq war proved that trying to install new regimes in Arab countries is a fool's errand; defending existing regimes facing internal rebellion will be no easier.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2013
Making predictions before prospects even begin their final seasons, then, is inherently a fool's errand.
—Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2023
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Ew Staff, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
With trade, fiscal, immigration and regulatory policies all in extreme flux, charting how the economy will fare over the next couple of years is a fool's errand.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
Plus, relying upon the largesse of car companies is usually a fool's errand, as F1 history shows over and over again.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Relying on our politicians having any sense of morality is, clearly, a fool's errand.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
That won't solve all this team's problems, but if this team continues to find itself in close games every week, better field-goal kicking could prove pivotal.
Texans vs. Jets Prediction
Predicting what the Jets will do next is a fool's errand.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
The presence of an electric Equinox where competitors offer hybrids that still burn some gasoline makes comparing for the most efficient models a fool's errand.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 17 Oct. 2024
The Iraq war proved that trying to install new regimes in Arab countries is a fool's errand; defending existing regimes facing internal rebellion will be no easier.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2013
Making predictions before prospects even begin their final seasons, then, is inherently a fool's errand.
—Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Fool's errand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fool%27s%20errand. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
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