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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2
as in futile
producing no results
another ineffectual plan to lose weight without dieting or exercising
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Recent Examples of ineffectual
The power struggle swirls around the saintly, ineffectual King Henry until gradually the dynamic York, who has pretended to support Margaret while secretly hatching his own plot, emerges as the chief contender for the throne.
—
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Others get more personal, as when Anushka (Meaghan Rath), the ineffectual chief ethicist at a Google-like giant, and her oddball inventor husband, Martin (Simon Helberg), butt heads over her skepticism of his work.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Others get more personal, as when Anushka (Meaghan Rath), the ineffectual chief ethicist at a Google-like giant, and her oddball inventor husband, Martin (Simon Helberg), butt heads over her skepticism of his work.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
However, those clauses have proved largely ineffectual, according to Conklin.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026
An evil global cabal, an ineffectual justice system, the exercise of unchecked power by untrustworthy experts—these are familiar themes.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ineffectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ineffectual
Adjective
-
If an actor is unsuccessful, their information will be retained only for as long as the Casting Director reasonably considers necessary for record-keeping purposes.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
-
Fertility treatments were unsuccessful.—
Kendra MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fahd, cradling his bloodied baby, pressing his hand to Sam’s head in a futile attempt to staunch the bleeding.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
The suit recounts the rapid deterioration — and futile attempts to salvage — what for a long time had been a mutually beneficial professional and artistic partnership.—
Mary Carole McCauley,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Changes to fiscal policies so that the government does not continue bailing out inefficient state enterprises.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
-
In reality, inefficient data management drives unnecessary scale.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
This playful fourish, although useless in terms of timekeeping, requires 200 of the 646 components in the watch and two engineers had to work simultaneously to ensure the face shield and the movement operated in harmony.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
12 June 2026
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Some of us choose to stay away from X, Instagram and the like, so posting a bunch of screenshots with links to additional story info on social media apps is useless.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s irony here because the solution, for the most part, is not quantum-based, but rather preparation for a time when future quantum computers may make current encryption such as RSA and ECC ineffective.—
Dr. Jonathan Reichental,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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These proposals recognize that leaving decisions about adapting houses located in vulnerable areas up to individual homeowners is ineffective.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of ever getting comfortable or confident is almost counterproductive.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Doing so while having to perform in games where the results are all that matter can be confounding and even counterproductive.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ineffectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ineffectual. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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