# futility

/fjuˈtɪɫəti/ (US) · /fjuːtˈɪlɪti/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/futility
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

the quality of being useless or having no point. You use this when you feel like your efforts are not making any difference at all.

For teachers: the state or quality of being ineffective, pointless, or incapable of producing a desired result.

## Examples

- He felt a sense of futility after trying to fix the broken machine.
- The long hours of work felt like a waste of time, leading to a deep sense of futility.
- Despite the team's best efforts, the sheer scale of the disaster rendered their rescue mission a tragic exercise in futility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.