Basic Details
Word: Futility
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The quality of being useless or having no purpose.
Synonyms: Uselessness, pointlessness, ineffectiveness
Antonyms: Usefulness, effectiveness, utility
Idioms and Phrases
- Futile effort: An attempt that has no chance of success. Example: "Trying to convince him to change his mind was a futile effort."
- Fighting a losing battle: To struggle against something that cannot be won. Example: "He realised that trying to catch the train was fighting a losing battle."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The team's attempts to win the game after losing by a large score seemed to be a complete futility.
Example 2: The futility of throwing snowballs at a speeding car became clear when none of them hit their target.
Example 3: She felt a sense of futility when trying to solve the complicated math problem without help.
Fun Fact
The word "futility" comes from the Latin word "futilis," which means "leaky" or "worthless," reflecting its meaning about the lack of usefulness.
Famous Quote
"The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it." William James
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "futility" mean?
a) The quality of being useful
b) The quality of being useless
c) The quality of being beautiful
d) The quality of being effective
Answer: b) The quality of being useless
2. Which of these is a synonym of "futility"?
a) Effectiveness
b) Efficiency
c) Uselessness
d) Success
Answer: c) Uselessness
3. Which of the following is an antonym of "futility"?
a) Pointlessness
b) Effectiveness
c) Uselessness
d) Worthlessness
Answer: b) Effectiveness
4. Which sentence uses "futility" correctly?
a) The futility of the meeting was clear when no one paid attention.
b) She experienced futility when she won the race.
c) The futility of the project made everyone excited.
d) His futility was obvious when he solved the puzzle in seconds.
Answer: a) The futility of the meeting was clear when no one paid attention.
5. Which idiom means the same as "futility"?
a) Fighting a losing battle
b) Jumping the gun
c) A piece of cake
d) A drop in the ocean
Answer: a) Fighting a losing battle
