— futilely , adv. — futileness , n.
/fyooht"l, fyooh"tuyl/ , adj.
1. incapable of producing any result; ineffective; useless; not successful: Attempting to force-feed the sick horse was futile.
2. trifling; frivolous; unimportant.
[ 1545-55; futilis, futtilis easily broken, vain, worthless, equiv. to fut- (akin to fundere to pour, melt) + -ilis -ILE ]
Syn. 1. See useless .