1
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
the prison is so well guarded that all attempts to escape have been futile
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silly
lacking in seriousness or maturity
the futile chatter of gossip columnists about the comings and goings of Hollywood celebrities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of futile
Part of this moral distress came from feeling the attempt was futile or questioning whether the patient even wanted extreme life-saving measures.
—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
The data suggests that market timing is not a futile exercise but a skill - one that, like any other, is unevenly distributed and requires both technological sophistication and human insight to exploit effectively.
—Steven Desmyter, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Former Vice President Mohammad-Ali Abtahi dismissed negotiations with Trump as futile, arguing that Trump's leadership made diplomacy ineffective.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
In Samantha’s professional opinion, the most humane option is to switch her to palliative care, rather than keep subjecting her to painful and almost certainly futile treatments.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
The data suggests that market timing is not a futile exercise but a skill - one that, like any other, is unevenly distributed and requires both technological sophistication and human insight to exploit effectively.
—Steven Desmyter, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Former Vice President Mohammad-Ali Abtahi dismissed negotiations with Trump as futile, arguing that Trump's leadership made diplomacy ineffective.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
In Samantha’s professional opinion, the most humane option is to switch her to palliative care, rather than keep subjecting her to painful and almost certainly futile treatments.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for futile
Adjective
-
Last May, students barricaded themselves inside the building—after dedicating it to the famed Palestinian painter who died in 2024 following unsuccessful appeals for a medical evacuation from Gaza— amid a rising wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses across the United States.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Nonetheless, Punk had two very unsuccessful, farcical moments in the Octagon, so there could be some credence to Paul’s thought that White wanted nothing else to do with a crossover fight from a WWE Superstar.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Moments that may seem silly or insignificant to others — like sharing a particular greeting, teasing each other in a familiar way or even speaking to each other in silly, baby-ish voices — can be great sources of comfort and familiarity for partners.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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The industry has seen its fair share of terrible ideas, from the downright bizarre to the silly.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Encryption serves as a critical line of defense by rendering intercepted data useless to unauthorized parties.—
Srikanth Bellamkonda,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Because of this, even areas that are just open fields between pockets of good whitetail habitat, or a stand of mature timber that’s largely useless at this time, might provide medium- to long-range travel routes.—
Josh Honeycutt,
Outdoor Life,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Oh boy, wacky antics, including vomiting and other goofy altercations!—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Monty tends to be very energetic and goofy, while Sam is far more chilled out.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Mountain, his latest venture, is more expansive in all respects—more seats, fancier grills, a bigger playbook of influences and techniques—while retaining the giddy obsession with sourcing that has become Parry’s signature.—
Amiel Stanek,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Apr. 2025
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When the friends head to the public library to attend their first minicomics convention, their giddy, nervous excitement is palpable.—
James Sturm,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Futile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/futile. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
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