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

Examples of futility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After months of diplomatic futility, Biden was shrewd to allow Trump and Witkoff to serve as the front men for the talks. —Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2025

Notwithstanding stretches of defensive dominance, Harbaugh’s Bolts echoed the Chargers’ futility of many other postseason defeats. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025

Fish and futility The research involved the larval zebrafish, which is smaller than a grain of rice and looks like a tadpole. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 7 Jan. 2025

In breaking the fourth wall to address the situation, the director might have conveyed the futility of creation in a time of ruin, but the set-up to her short’s awful punchline ultimately serves to underscore the power of trying. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French and Latin; French futilité, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin fūtilitāt-, fūtilitās (also futtilitāt-, futtilitās) "unprofitableness, uselessness," from fūtilis, futtilis "brittle, fragile (of containers), serving no purpose, pointless" + -itāt- -itās -ity — more at futile

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing futility

• exercise in futility

Kids 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