futile
gb/fjˈutəl/ us/fjˈutəl/
B2
English
~ 7600
hiábavaló, eredménytelen
B2
1
hiábavaló
B2
Usage pattern:
it is futile to [verb]
After hours of arguing, they realized it was futile to keep trying to change his mind.
Órákig tartó vitatkozás után rájöttek, hogy hiábavaló tovább próbálni megváltoztatni a véleményét.
The rescue team made a futile search for survivors in the collapsed building.
A mentőcsapat hiábavaló keresést folytatott túlélők után az összedőlt épületben.
I knew it was futile, but I checked my email for the tenth time that hour.
Their complaints proved futile, and the policy remained unchanged.
She made one last, futile attempt to catch the departing train.
Learner examples
It is futile to shout; no one can hear you.
Hiábavaló kiabálni; senki sem hall téged.
Our long walk in the rain was a futile search for the lost dog.
A hosszú gyaloglásunk az esőben hiábavaló keresés volt az elveszett kutya után.
He made a futile effort to fix the broken phone.
Their plan to stop the storm was clearly futile.
We knew it was futile, but we tried again.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "futile" to describe a person instead of their actions, for example *"He is a futile"* instead of "His efforts are futile" or "It is futile for him to try." Another confusion is with the word "useless": "useless" can be used for objects ("a useless tool"), while "futile" is most often used for actions, attempts, or efforts ("a futile attempt").
Meaning
Pointless; unable to achieve anything
Collocations
futile attempt
|futile effort
|futile gesture
|futile search
|prove futile
|seem futile
Synonyms
pointless (Very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday speech.)
|
useless (Stronger and more emotional; can sound more informal or blunt.)
|
fruitless (Often used for searches or efforts that do not bring results, slightly more formal.)
|
ineffective (More technical or formal, focusing on lack of effect rather than lack of purpose.)
Antonyms
effective (Stresses that the action actually works and produces the desired result.)
|
worthwhile (Focuses on the time or effort being valuable and not wasted.)
|
useful (Highlights that something has practical value or benefit, not a waste.)
|
productive (Emphasizes producing good or many results, the opposite of wasted effort.)
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not able to change anything or get a good result, so there is no point in doing it.
Unable to produce any useful result; achieving no practical effect and therefore pointless.
Grammar
Dictionary form
futile
IPA
GB/fjˈutəl/
US/fjˈutəl/
Syllables & stress
fu - tile (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fu)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: futile
Word family
Core family
futility
noun
Related words
futilely
adverb
Expressions
a futile attempt
1/ə fjˈutəl ətˈɛmpt/
fixed phrase
An attempt that is sure to fail
An effort to do something that will not work and will not change the result.
Examples
- They made a futile attempt to save the old tree from being cut down.
- In a futile attempt to impress his boss, he stayed late every night for a month.
in a futile attempt to
1/ˈɪn ə fjˈutəl ətˈɛmpt tə/
fixed phrase
While making an attempt that will fail
Used before a verb to say that someone does something, but this action will not succeed in reaching its goal.
Examples
- She called him three times in a futile attempt to explain what had happened.
- He ran after the bus in a futile attempt to catch it before it left.
prove futile
1/pɹˈuv fjˈutəl/
fixed phrase
To turn out to be pointless
To finally be shown to have no effect or no useful result.
Examples
- Their legal challenge proved futile when the court rejected the case.
- All our efforts to contact the company proved futile.