adjective
fruitless
FROOT-luhs
Fruitless (adjective) means producing no useful result; unsuccessful. Example: “They spent a fruitless afternoon searching for the missing keys.”
adjective
1
Producing no useful result; unsuccessful.
"They spent a fruitless afternoon searching for the missing keys."
"His attempts to reach customer service were fruitless."
2
Bearing no fruit.
"The old tree in the yard has been fruitless for years."
How to use fruitless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishProducing no result, or literally, bearing no fruit.
Common pairings
a fruitless search
fruitless effort
fruitless negotiations
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like fruitless.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more fruitless
- Superlative
- most fruitless
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They spent a _____ afternoon searching for the missing keys.
Etymology
From Middle English fruytles, built from fruit plus -less, "without."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fruitless
See all rhymes for fruitless →Frequently asked questions
What does “fruitless” mean?
The word “fruitless” means producing no useful result; unsuccessful. In plain terms, producing no result, or literally, bearing no fruit.
How do you pronounce “fruitless”?
“Fruitless” is pronounced FROOT-luhs (/ˈfɹutləs/ in IPA).
How do you use “fruitless” in a sentence?
Here is “fruitless” used in a sentence: “They spent a fruitless afternoon searching for the missing keys.”
What part of speech is “fruitless”?
“Fruitless” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fruitless” come from?
The word “fruitless” comes from Middle English. From Middle English fruytles, built from fruit plus -less, "without.".
How many meanings does “fruitless” have?
“Fruitless” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: producing no useful result; unsuccessful.
