futile effort

collocation in English

meaningsoffutileandeffort

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations witheffort.
futile
adjective
uk
/ˈfjuː.taɪl/us
/ˈfjuː.t̬əl/
(of actions) having no effect or ...
See more atfutile
effort
noun
uk
/ˈef.ət/us
/ˈef.ɚt/
physical or mental activity needed to ...
See more ateffort

(Definition offutileandeffortfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesoffutile effort

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
It is afutileeffortto save a face which is shamed beyond saving.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They saw that compulsory amalgamation might wreck the good colliery in afutileeffortto save the bad.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Therefore, what is the point, they say, in wasting money in peacetime on what would be afutileeffort.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Very poor planning, corruption, and disregard to local traditions meant afutileeffortat best.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Her parents returned and tried to annul the marriage, but it was afutileeffort.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
During this day, commanding people is afutileeffortas they are too busy enjoying themselves.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Romesh even sets off in afutileeffortto drag his pack to the distant airport.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The way the buns were baked allows them to more or less be pulled off as individual servings, although it is often afutileeffort.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Nothing much to recommend in the film which is a wasted andfutileeffort, though the message it tries to convey is topical.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The house and the unread message are destroyed in afutileeffortat quarantine.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
By this time, everyone agrees that finishing the benches is afutileeffort, and are resigned to a leaking tub.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Donald makes afutileeffortto physically move the house, but the log collides with the house and destroys it in successive dynamite explosions.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The persistence of debasements throughout the medieval and early modern periods suggests that these interventions could not simply be futile efforts.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The union made several attempts to stop the ships coming and going but it proved to be a great andfutileeffortas the blockade runners were built for speed.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Futile efforts to exert control create a sense of helplessness,37 as individuals attribute the control failure to their own incapacity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The "futile efforts" so far have resulted this month in the biggest fall in unemployment for 30 years.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Last week, we discussed his futile efforts to save the economy.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Fencing 212000acre km2 drained his capital, droughts destroyed his cattle, and futile efforts to attract settlers dried up his last remaining credit.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition offutile
Go to the definition ofeffort
See other collocations witheffort