• Futile

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /ˈfjuː.taɪ.É™l/
    • US IPA: /ˈfju.taɪ.É™l/, /ˈfju.tÉ™l/
    • Rhymes: -uːtÉ™l US

    Origin

    From Middle French futile, from Latin fūtilis.

    Full definition of futile

    Adjective

    futile

    1. Incapable of producing results; useless; not successful; not worth attempting.
      • 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or.... And at last I began to realize in my harassed soul that all elusion was futile, and to take such holidays as I could get, when he was off with a girl, in a spirit of thankfulness.
      • 2011, December 15, Marc Higginson, Shamrock Rovers 0-4 Tottenham, Goals from Steven Pienaar, Andros Townsend, Jermain Defoe and Harry Kane sealed the win, but Rubin Kazan's 1-1 draw against PAOK Salonika rendered Spurs' efforts futile.
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