futile Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite producing no result or effect
    otiose; ineffectual; unavailing.
    • a futile effort
    • the therapy was ineffectual
    • an otiose undertaking
    • an unavailing attempt
  2. adjective satellite unproductive of success
    fruitless; sleeveless; vain; bootless.
    • a fruitless search
    • futile years after her artistic peak
    • a sleeveless errand
    • a vain attempt

WordNet

Fu"tile adjective
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.
Definitions
  1. Talkative; loquacious; tattling. Obs.
    Talkers and futile persons. Bacon.
  2. Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain; worthless. "Futile theories." I. Taylor.
    His reasoning . . . was singularly futile. Macaulay.

Webster 1913