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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
For a business, a high-speed connection can mean the difference between productive or ineffectual operations, customer satisfaction or abandonment, and ultimately profit or loss.
—
Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
The students’ stunning reaction shortly after the shooting, refusing to succumb to their grief and calling out ineffectual politicians, captured the nation while also drawing backlash from the far-right.
—Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The Palestinian Authority is corrupt, ineffectual and undemocratic; Hamas in Gaza has run a satanical mafia state, half theocracy and half kleptocracy, indoctrinating the youth for barbarism while crushing the spirit of the adults.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Glenn Katz, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Without the backing and the power of the United States, by then the richest country in the world, the League of Nations became an ineffectual shell of what it was meant to be.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
The students’ stunning reaction shortly after the shooting, refusing to succumb to their grief and calling out ineffectual politicians, captured the nation while also drawing backlash from the far-right.
—Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The Palestinian Authority is corrupt, ineffectual and undemocratic; Hamas in Gaza has run a satanical mafia state, half theocracy and half kleptocracy, indoctrinating the youth for barbarism while crushing the spirit of the adults.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
-
But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, Min and Chris’ closest friends, Kelly Marie Tran’s Angela, a research scientist, and Lily Gladstone’s Lee, an Indigenous community organizer, have been struggling to conceive a child; Lee has just found out that her second round of IVF has been unsuccessful.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Another recommendation: Attacking Trump’s character, however abhorrent critics may find it, is futile.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
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Regardless, returning him would be futile, said the president’s aides, as his ultimate fate would be imprisonment, in the United States or elsewhere.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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More importantly, Brunson is coming off a 34-point night in Game 1 despite a rare inefficient shooting night.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Apr. 2025
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Hardware orders in late March reached new records, indicating operators are swapping out inefficient rigs rather than capitulating.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Once the borer has entered the stem, insecticides are useless.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2025
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Though small, the defect made the telescope mostly useless to astronomers.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The White House takes aim at the Biden administration and Democrats’ handling of the pandemic, arguing lockdowns were detrimental, masks were ineffective, and the 6-foot distance rule was arbitrarily made up by Fauci.—
Elaine Mallon,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Apr. 2025
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If both avoidance and OTC medicines are ineffective, an allergist may suggest exposure therapy in the form of shots, which help people become less sensitive to their allergy triggers over time.—
Sarah Cottone,
Health,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Cleaner air is always appealing, but rushing into sweeping regulatory shifts that will have little long-term effect would be counterproductive.—
Ryan Nawrocki,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2025
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When Musk is in a bad mood, well, an interview is usually counterproductive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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