Futility
noun
The quality or state of being pointless or futile - there's no use or purpose.
The futility of trying to change her mind was apparent.
Often appears as...
- sense of futility
- futility of war
noun
When something is not successful or doesn't give the desired result.
His actions proved the futility of their attempt to escape.
Often appears as...
- show the futility
- futility of efforts
noun
The quality or state of being pointless or futile - there's no use or purpose.
The futility of trying to change her mind was apparent.
Often appears as...
- sense of futility
- futility of war
noun
When something is not successful or doesn't give the desired result.
His actions proved the futility of their attempt to escape.
Often appears as...
- show the futility
- futility of efforts
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Impact of Effort
Understand that 'futility' implies any effort made will not change the outcome.
Despite the team's hard work, the project's cancellation confirmed its futility.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Futility' often carries a sense of resignation or disappointment.
She sighed at the futility of waiting in line only to find tickets sold out.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Futility' doesn't always mean the action was bad, just that it didn't lead to success.
He laughed at the futility of his attempts to learn skateboarding.
Pro Tip 1/3Impact of Effort
Understand that 'futility' implies any effort made will not change the outcome.
Despite the team's hard work, the project's cancellation confirmed its futility.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Futility' often carries a sense of resignation or disappointment.
She sighed at the futility of waiting in line only to find tickets sold out.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Futility' doesn't always mean the action was bad, just that it didn't lead to success.
He laughed at the futility of his attempts to learn skateboarding.
Pro Tip 1/3Impact of Effort
Understand that 'futility' implies any effort made will not change the outcome.
Despite the team's hard work, the project's cancellation confirmed its futility.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Futility' often carries a sense of resignation or disappointment.
She sighed at the futility of waiting in line only to find tickets sold out.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative
'Futility' doesn't always mean the action was bad, just that it didn't lead to success.
He laughed at the futility of his attempts to learn skateboarding.
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Video examples
One woman, eight...
It was like, you know, she was there in the class, you know, she was kind of typically French. You know, she was very chic, but she was very filled with ennui, you know. And she would be there, you know, kind of talking with the class, you know, talking about the, you know, the existential futility of life, you know.
Video examples
Our dangerous obsession...
only to see it roll back down and have to start again. So long as we teach young people that there is nothing more real or meaningful in their lives than this hopeless quest for perfection, then we are going to condemn future generations to that same futility and despair.
Video examples
Jamie Heywood: The big...
just like me, and that we had the power to detect that at about a quarter of the strengths reported in the initial study. We did that one year ahead of the time when the first clinical trial funded by the NIH for millions of dollars failed for futility last week,
Video examples
Chris Bliss: Comedy is...
it was that second part, being able to successfully communicate to others whatever knowledge I was gaining, where the futility of my quest really set in. Time after time, whenever I set out to share some great truth with a soon-to-be grateful recipient,
Video examples
Misconceptions about...
horrible terrifying deaths the second notion is that wildlife play a big important role in the maintenance of the rabies virus and therefore for people that work on the disease it feels like it's an exercise in futility that if you
Video examples
Is life meaningless? And...
The cruelty of his punishment lies in its singular futility, but Camus argues all of humanity is in the same position. And only when we accept the meaninglessness of our lives can we face the absurd with our heads held high.
Video examples
National Geographic...
dreams of material possession and accomplishment are tinged with dark futility after I left the Ansel Adams studio and began to travel in this area I also wanted to linger after a series of trips I decided to slow down and
Video examples
My Country Will Be...
I was very angry, very frustrated and then depressed. There was a sense of futility that we are fighting a fight that we have no hope of winning. I had to change my approach. I had to become more reasonable
Video examples
How we experience time...
to make meaning of the world around us through materials. And for me, to try and find the kind of wonder, but also a kind of futility that lies in that very fragile pursuit, is part of my art work.
Video examples
Why should you read...
and the futility of life. "Out, out, brief candle!" he laments. "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage
Video examples
One woman, eight...
It was like, you know, she was there in the class, you know, she was kind of typically French. You know, she was very chic, but she was very filled with ennui, you know. And she would be there, you know, kind of talking with the class, you know, talking about the, you know, the existential futility of life, you know.
Video examples
Our dangerous obsession...
only to see it roll back down and have to start again. So long as we teach young people that there is nothing more real or meaningful in their lives than this hopeless quest for perfection, then we are going to condemn future generations to that same futility and despair.
Video examples
Jamie Heywood: The big...
just like me, and that we had the power to detect that at about a quarter of the strengths reported in the initial study. We did that one year ahead of the time when the first clinical trial funded by the NIH for millions of dollars failed for futility last week,
Video examples
Chris Bliss: Comedy is...
it was that second part, being able to successfully communicate to others whatever knowledge I was gaining, where the futility of my quest really set in. Time after time, whenever I set out to share some great truth with a soon-to-be grateful recipient,
Video examples
Misconceptions about...
horrible terrifying deaths the second notion is that wildlife play a big important role in the maintenance of the rabies virus and therefore for people that work on the disease it feels like it's an exercise in futility that if you
Video examples
Is life meaningless? And...
The cruelty of his punishment lies in its singular futility, but Camus argues all of humanity is in the same position. And only when we accept the meaninglessness of our lives can we face the absurd with our heads held high.
Video examples
National Geographic...
dreams of material possession and accomplishment are tinged with dark futility after I left the Ansel Adams studio and began to travel in this area I also wanted to linger after a series of trips I decided to slow down and
Video examples
My Country Will Be...
I was very angry, very frustrated and then depressed. There was a sense of futility that we are fighting a fight that we have no hope of winning. I had to change my approach. I had to become more reasonable
Video examples
How we experience time...
to make meaning of the world around us through materials. And for me, to try and find the kind of wonder, but also a kind of futility that lies in that very fragile pursuit, is part of my art work.
Video examples
Why should you read...
and the futility of life. "Out, out, brief candle!" he laments. "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Gary Zukav
American Author
We are becoming able to see the pursuit of external power for what it is and the futility of trying to escape the pain of powerlessness by changing the world. When we look inward, not outward, we can dismantle the parts of our personalities that have controlled us for so long - such as anger, jealousy, vindictiveness, superiority, inferiority.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility.
Quote examples
George Carlin
American Comedian
Dusting is a good example of the futility of trying to put things right. As soon as you dust, the fact of your next dusting has already been established.
Quote examples
John Piper
American Clergyman
God created a good world that was subjected to futility because of the sinful, treasonous choice of the first human beings.
Quote examples
Dwight D. Eisenhower
American President
I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.
Quote examples
Errol Morris
American Director
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it without a sense of ironic futility.
Quote examples
Emil Cioran
Romanian Philosopher
Since all life is futility, then the decision to exist must be the most irrational of all.
Quote examples
H. G. Wells
English Author
Nothing leads so straight to futility as literary ambitions without systematic knowledge.
Quote examples
Robert Fripp
English Musician
My life as a professional musician is a joyless exercise in futility.
Quote examples
John Prine
American Singer
Sam Stone' is a song about futility.
Quote examples
Gary Zukav
American Author
We are becoming able to see the pursuit of external power for what it is and the futility of trying to escape the pain of powerlessness by changing the world. When we look inward, not outward, we can dismantle the parts of our personalities that have controlled us for so long - such as anger, jealousy, vindictiveness, superiority, inferiority.
Quote examples
Martin Luther King, Jr.
American Leader
The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility.
Quote examples
George Carlin
American Comedian
Dusting is a good example of the futility of trying to put things right. As soon as you dust, the fact of your next dusting has already been established.
Quote examples
John Piper
American Clergyman
God created a good world that was subjected to futility because of the sinful, treasonous choice of the first human beings.
Quote examples
Dwight D. Eisenhower
American President
I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.
Quote examples
Errol Morris
American Director
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it without a sense of ironic futility.
Quote examples
Emil Cioran
Romanian Philosopher
Since all life is futility, then the decision to exist must be the most irrational of all.
Quote examples
H. G. Wells
English Author
Nothing leads so straight to futility as literary ambitions without systematic knowledge.
Quote examples
Robert Fripp
English Musician
My life as a professional musician is a joyless exercise in futility.
Quote examples
John Prine
American Singer
Sam Stone' is a song about futility.
Example 1 of 10
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