futile
UK /ˈfjuː.taɪl/ · US /ˈfju.taɪl/ adjective
- adjective Incapable of producing results, useless; doomed not to be successful; not worth attempting.
- adjective Insignificant; frivolous.
Synonyms
useless bootless barren sterile fruitless gainless idle dry ineffectual inefficacious inutile no good otiose pointless profitless purposeless tired unavailing unprofitable unuseful sleeveless vain
Antonyms
effectual effective fruitful worthwhile gainful profitable productive purposeful useful utilizable
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French futile, from Latin fūtilis.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Talkative; loquacious; tattling. [Obs.]
- adjective Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain; worthless. "Futile theories." I. Taylor.
Etymology [L. futilis that easily pours out, that easily lets loose, vain, worthless, from the root of fundere to pour out: cf. F. futile. See Fuse, v. t.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “futile”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details