1
as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
an ineffectual effort to find the trail again did at least lead them to another stunning view of the canyon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
The Palestinian Authority is corrupt, ineffectual and undemocratic; Hamas in Gaza has run a satanical mafia state, half theocracy and half kleptocracy, indoctrinating the youth for barbarism while crushing the spirit of the adults.
—
Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
There’s a strong chance that Gabbard will be ineffectual or worse as DNI, and there’s no reason that Trump can’t find someone for this role in the mode of John Ratcliffe, his CIA director who just got easily confirmed.
—The Editors, National Review, 24 Jan. 2025
But none of this means that the court, or the quest for international justice more broadly, is ineffectual.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
The data indicates that Trump’s idiosyncratic efforts to target individual companies for presidential bullying were ineffectual.
—Steven Tian, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
There’s a strong chance that Gabbard will be ineffectual or worse as DNI, and there’s no reason that Trump can’t find someone for this role in the mode of John Ratcliffe, his CIA director who just got easily confirmed.
—The Editors, National Review, 24 Jan. 2025
But none of this means that the court, or the quest for international justice more broadly, is ineffectual.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
The data indicates that Trump’s idiosyncratic efforts to target individual companies for presidential bullying were ineffectual.
—Steven Tian, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
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Nonetheless, Punk had two very unsuccessful, farcical moments in the Octagon, so there could be some credence to Paul’s thought that White wanted nothing else to do with a crossover fight from a WWE Superstar.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Last May, students barricaded themselves inside the building—after dedicating it to the famed Palestinian painter who died in 2024 following unsuccessful appeals for a medical evacuation from Gaza— amid a rising wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses across the United States.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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However, these attempts are futile, and such baseless rumors will ultimately be consigned to the dustbin of history.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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Impeachment is seen as a largely futile effort, given the near-zero chance that at least 14 Senate Democrats would join Republicans in convicting and removing any of the judges.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Put simply, the traditional mailroom is inefficient and a liability.—
Chris Gallagher,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
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In addition, export controls are inefficient, and inflation will follow if inexpensive goods from China suddenly are not as cheap.—
Nick Thomas,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Encryption serves as a critical line of defense by rendering intercepted data useless to unauthorized parties.—
Srikanth Bellamkonda,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Because of this, even areas that are just open fields between pockets of good whitetail habitat, or a stand of mature timber that’s largely useless at this time, might provide medium- to long-range travel routes.—
Josh Honeycutt,
Outdoor Life,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But there’s little sense in safeguarding an ineffective K-12 status quo, particularly for students without wealth or social capital.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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The company identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, primarily due to insufficient resources and ineffective controls related to financial reporting processes.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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That can often be counterproductive because Albuquerque tends to beat pitchers up.—
Patrick Saunders,
The Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2025
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Very-low-calorie diets are not recommended and tend to be counterproductive to health goals.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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