exercise in futility

noun phrase

: an activity that is not successful or worthwhile
The negotiations turned out to be an exercise in futility.

Examples of exercise in futility in a Sentence

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Clearly, digging into Ducati’s specific positioning for the new V2 quickly becomes an exercise in futility, other than marveling at the power-to-weight ratio. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Speculating at how the Ravens rank the prospects from their top areas of need (offensive line, edge rusher, wide receiver and cornerback) is an exercise in futility. Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 23 Apr. 2024 Her inability to grasp reality engulfs the final weeks of tour rehearsals in chaos, forcing her to probe the depths of her mind on a journey toward realizing that running from our formative memories is an exercise in futility. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024 The problem is throwing the ball to him has largely been an exercise in futility. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 No matter what numbers the networks try to burnish, the entire effort can represent an exercise in futility. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 July 2024 This is an exercise in futility, certainly, but imagine if Greene or Donald Trump Jr. had taken a different tack. Philip Bump, Washington Post, 17 July 2024 But there’s unfortunately a sort of mystique around managing the problem, which can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. Angela Law, refinery29.com, 3 July 2024 Of course, trying to make a heavy and high-riding SUV drive like a light and low-slung supercar is ultimately an exercise in futility. Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 19 June 2024

Dictionary Entries Near exercise in futility

Cite this Entry

“Exercise in futility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exercise%20in%20futility. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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