futility

UK /fjuːˈtɪlɪti/ US /fjuˈtɪləti/

noun 3

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

complete, utter

VERB + FUTILITY

know, realize, see, sense

After months of failed attempts, he finally realized the futility of his approach.

PHRASES

a feeling/sense of futility

Definitions

noun

The quality of being futile or useless.

an exercise of futility

His taking the bar exam for a third time was pure futility.

Something, especially an act, that is futile.

But fashion and authority apart, and bringing Plato to the test of reason, take from him, his sophisms, futilities, and incomprehensibilities, and what remains?

No man oppresses thee, can bid thee fetch or carry, come or go, without reason shewn. […] No man, wiser, unwiser, can make thee come or go: but thy own futilities, bewilderments, thy false appetites for Money, Windsor Georges and such like?

Unimportance.

Her empty chatter, her futility, her childish coquetry and frivolity—such light wares could hardly be the whole substance of any woman’s being; […]

Thesaurus

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

Example Bank

an exercise of futility

Wiktionary

His taking the bar exam for a third time was pure futility.

Wiktionary

“Has my dad come?” he asked. “You can see he hasn’t,” said Mrs. Morel, cross with the futility of the question.

Wiktionary

Tom was overcome with a sense of futility.

Tatoeba · #8351687

This is the worst snowstorm to hit England in 18 years. And for some the journey into work became an exercise in futility.

Tatoeba · #12188776

Usage Notes

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