fruitless

adjective

fruit·​less ˈfrüt-ləs How to pronounce fruitless (audio)
1
: unsuccessful
a fruitless attempt
2
: lacking or not bearing fruit
fruitlessly adverb
fruitlessness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for fruitless

futile, vain, fruitless mean producing no result.

futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertaking.

resistance had proved so futile that surrender was the only choice left

vain usually implies simple failure to achieve a desired result.

a vain attempt to get the car started

fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment.

fruitless efforts to obtain a lasting peace

Examples of fruitless in a Sentence

They made a fruitless attempt to find a solution. It would be fruitless to continue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
President Donald Trump‘s $20 billion lawsuit over 60 Minutes‘ handling of an interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, has gone to a thus-far fruitless mediation process. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 June 2025 The Padres had not gotten a hit with a runner in scoring position in their five games leading up to Thursday, a stretch of 32 fruitless at-bats. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025 Love flickers among the ruins, in the form of a brief, fruitless reunion with Bin. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 May 2025 But the email Young put on her Instagram page, forwarded to her by a follower and independently reviewed by Rolling Stone, suggested that this would be a fruitless exercise on Bumble. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fruitless

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fruytles, frutles, from fruyt, frut fruit entry 1 + -les -less

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fruitless was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fruitless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fruitless. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

fruitless

adjective
fruit·​less ˈfrüt-ləs How to pronounce fruitless (audio)
1
: not bearing fruit
2
: producing no good results : unsuccessful
a fruitless attempt
fruitlessly adverb
fruitlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fruitless

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