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
That organization still exists (and its leaders attended the London meeting), but many of the original participants dropped out of it because of differences over tactics and strategy, and the group that remains is small and ineffectual.
—
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
Besson takes real liberties with Stoker’s original saga too, hinting at a purposeful attempt to reframe Dracula as a sly romantic hero that winds up looking like just another ineffectual vampire movie instead.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
Besson takes real liberties with Stoker’s original saga too, hinting at a purposeful attempt to reframe Dracula as a sly romantic hero that winds up looking like just another ineffectual vampire movie instead.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
-
Attempts to interview him were unsuccessful.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
Trump has denied Carroll’s allegations against him and tried to appeal both verdicts but has been unsuccessful in both cases, putting him on the verge of having to pay out millions.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The series follows an upstanding family man who spirals into a life of crime after killing someone in a bicycle accident, driven by the noble but futile goal of never hurting anyone ever again.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
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But this story has a happier, less futile ending.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The reason for this decision may be how the rapid buildout of Colossus incorporated a mix of different Nvidia GPU chips that was very inefficient for AI training workloads, according to reporting by Tom’s Hardware.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
21 May 2026
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Modern classical algorithms use other methods but remain inefficient because the execution time increases exponentially with the size of the number to be factored.—
Zeeya Merali,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
But keep it simple; detailed information is useless if children can’t digest it.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
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The code would typically write data to illicit access cards in such a way that the cards failed security checks and became useless for piracy.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Colorado’s power play was still ineffective, with Hart pouncing on Kadri’s shot from the right circle on the only real scoring chance.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
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Vinegar baths are similarly ineffective.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
As a result, the most important clay-court of all chucking players back into their old way of seeing and understanding the contours of a tennis match is hugely counterproductive.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
-
But Israel tops all concerns for some leftists, so Greene’s reversal on the issue is enough to win their support, and AOC’s refusal to embrace her is seen as a counterproductive purity test.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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