fruitless

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Male jewel beetles, having evolved to respond to the exciting sight, are known to mistake orange peels for potential mates and die in a fruitless attempt to impregnate them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Other members of his sales team burned out on fruitless cold calls, but McDermott said he would skip leisurely, expensive lunches with co-workers to pack in more calls and sales meetings.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Rosie, with help from husband Chris, took the court action after months of what she described as "fruitless" emails and complaints.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

After hours of fruitless negotiations, a vote was ultimately called, with Cordano coming through two rounds, defeating candidates from Senegal and Pakistan.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

“The frantic search—thus far a fruitless one—continues, for missing Hampden College student Edward Corcoran.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt