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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
So, for some businesses, the notion of a computer receptionist seems a welcome solution to the problem of ineffectual call centers.
—
Darius Tahir, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Most enterprises are still relying on fragmented and ineffectual security architectures.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
However, the policy, which has not been widely adopted, has also been criticized as being prone to abuse by employees and ineffectual, given that workers are still pressured to take as little time off as possible.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Even if a person brushes their teeth with fluoridated toothpaste and regularly goes to the dentist, drinking fluoridated tap water still offers a protective bonus, Tomar explains, counter to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s claim that fluoridation is ineffectual.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Darius Tahir, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Most enterprises are still relying on fragmented and ineffectual security architectures.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
However, the policy, which has not been widely adopted, has also been criticized as being prone to abuse by employees and ineffectual, given that workers are still pressured to take as little time off as possible.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Even if a person brushes their teeth with fluoridated toothpaste and regularly goes to the dentist, drinking fluoridated tap water still offers a protective bonus, Tomar explains, counter to Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s claim that fluoridation is ineffectual.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
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Although a request for proposals for a new company to run the facility drew interest from at least two companies, neither ended up completing the process to submit a proposal and efforts to reach out to other companies have so far been unsuccessful, Hyde said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 July 2025
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Roughly 45 seconds later, Van der Walt tried to add hot air to the envelope and close the rapid deflation valve but was unsuccessful, according to the report.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Go with the flow, but not toward the beach: Trying to swim directly toward the beach when caught in a rip current is futile and exhausting.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
6 July 2025
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This group saw military responses as futile, as Iran was assumed to have escalation dominance.—
JAMES JEFFREY,
Foreign Affairs,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
More than inefficient, manual finance operations introduce unnecessary risk.—
John Rubinetti,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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This is not hyperbole: burning oil to power a car or burning coal to produce electricity is at best slightly more than thirty per cent efficient—or seventy per cent inefficient.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Towns and hamlets have been largely pulverized along the front lines and for miles beyond; even American air defenses are mostly useless, because setting them up invites an immediate Russian attack.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Apart from evidence, some of the most important testimonies in the case were also deemed useless during the investigation.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Opting into a federal voucher program that is costly and ineffective would be irresponsible for our state and our students.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
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The court ruled that Conley's first trial lawyer was ineffective and failed to prevent her cell phone from being a primary source of evidence, according to Syracuse.com.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Don’t run through fatigue: Pushing past your current endurance level may be tempting, but this is counterproductive.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
18 July 2025
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Yet opting not to hire young workers could be counterproductive for building a strong future workforce.—
Liz Elting,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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