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

Chekhov’s stories remind me of the futility of holding onto stories that hold rigidly onto a bygone past. —Philip Metres july 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025

The futility of violence doesn’t seem to have always sunk in on a personal level, judging from its characters. —John Hopewell, Variety, 17 July 2025

That futility or their whiffs last summer shouldn’t prevent the present-day Ducks from making strong pitches to potential top-of-class free agents like Toronto’s Mitch Marner, Florida’s Sam Bennett and Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers. —Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 June 2025

But Báez is an unprecedented bounceback story, from futility to pure fun. —Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 July 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

Rhymes for futility

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• fertility
• fragility
• gentility
• hostility
• humility

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