futility
noun
fu·til·i·ty
fyü-ˈti-lə-tē 
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile : uselessness
His speech focused on the futility of violence.
2
: a useless act or gesture
the futilities of debate for its own sake—
W. A. White
W. A. WhiteExamples of futility in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For more than six long months in 2024, the place had been home to an abundance of pain; futility that defied belief or description.
—Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
However, this resolution does nothing to assuage the sense of futility and waste.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
And Cowboy Carter was a musician’s album, exploring country and Americana to send a broader message about the futility of genre borders.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
And their 27-24 double-overtime loss to Miami in a 1971 AFC divisional game heralded both the beginning of the end of those golden years and decades of playoff futility for the franchise.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2025
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Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
However, this resolution does nothing to assuage the sense of futility and waste.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
And Cowboy Carter was a musician’s album, exploring country and Americana to send a broader message about the futility of genre borders.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
And their 27-24 double-overtime loss to Miami in a 1971 AFC divisional game heralded both the beginning of the end of those golden years and decades of playoff futility for the franchise.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for futility
Cite this Entry
“Futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/futility. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
futility
noun
fu·til·i·ty
ˌfyu̇-ˈtil-ət-ē
plural futilities
1
: the quality or state of being futile
2
: a useless act
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