'Futile' definitions:
Definition of 'futile'
From: WordNet
adjective
Producing no result or effect; "a futile effort"; "the therapy was ineffectual"; "an otiose undertaking"; "an unavailing attempt" [syn: futile, ineffectual, otiose, unavailing]
adjective
Unproductive of success; "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt" [syn: bootless, fruitless, futile, sleeveless, vain]
Definition of 'Futile'
From: GCIDE
- Futile \Fu"tile\ (?; 277), a. [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.]
- 1. Talkative; loquacious; tattling. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Talkers and futile persons. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Of no importance; having no useful purpose; useless; vain; worthless; pointless. "Futile theories." --I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
- His reasoning . . . was singularly futile. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'futile'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abortive,
- absurd,
- airy,
- apish,
- asinine,
- bad,
- barren,
- batty,
- befooled,
- beguiled,
- besotted,
- bootless,
- brainless,
- buffoonish,
- catchpenny,
- cockeyed,
- counterproductive,
- crazy,
- credulous,
- daffy,
- daft,
- dazed,
- dizzy,
- doomed,
- doting,
- dumb,
- effete,
- empty,
- etiolated,
- failed,
- failing,
- fatuitous,
- fatuous,
- feckless,
- flaky,
- flimsy,
- fond,
- fool,
- foolheaded,
- foolish,
- foredoomed,
- fribble,
- fribbling,
- frivolous,
- frothy,
- fruitless,
- fuddled,
- gaga,
- goofy,
- gulled,
- hollow,
- idiotic,
- idle,
- ill-advised,
- ill-considered,
- ill-suited,
- ill-timed,
- imbecile,
- impolitic,
- impotent,
- improper,
- in vain,
- inadequate,
- inadvisable,
- inane,
- inappropriate,
- inapt,
- incongruous,
- ineffective,
- ineffectual,
- inefficacious,
- inefficient,
- inept,
- inexpedient,
- infatuated,
- infelicitous,
- inoperative,
- inopportune,
- insane,
- insufficient,
- invalid,
- kooky,
- lame,
- light,
- loony,
- mad,
- mal a propos,
- malapropos,
- manque,
- maudlin,
- miscarried,
- miscarrying,
- moronic,
- nugacious,
- nugatory,
- nutty,
- of no effect,
- of no force,
- otiose,
- out of place,
- profitless,
- sappy,
- screwy,
- senseless,
- sentimental,
- shallow,
- silly,
- slender,
- slight,
- sterile,
- stickit,
- stillborn,
- stupid,
- successless,
- superficial,
- thoughtless,
- trifling,
- trite,
- trivial,
- unavailable,
- unavailing,
- unbefitting,
- undesirable,
- unfit,
- unfitting,
- unfortunate,
- unhappy,
- unmeet,
- unproductive,
- unprofitable,
- unsatisfactory,
- unseasonable,
- unseemly,
- unsuccessful,
- unsuitable,
- untimely,
- unwise,
- useless,
- vacuous,
- vain,
- vapid,
- wacky,
- wet,
- windy,
- witless,
- worthless,
- wrong