Related Searches
Nearby Words
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | bringing no advantage, product |
| Synonyms: | abortive, barren, empty, futile, gainless, idle, in vain, ineffective, ineffectual, infertile, pointless, profitless, spinning one's wheels, sterile, to no avail, to no effect, unavailable, unavailing, unfruitful, unproductive, unprofitable, unprolific, unsuccessful, useless, vain, wild goose chase |
| Antonyms: | copious, fruitful, plentiful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, useful |
| Main Entry: | barren |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unable to support growth |
| Synonyms: | arid, depleted, desert, desolate, dry, effete, empty, fallow, fruitless, impotent, impoverished, infecund, infertile, parched, sterile, unbearing, uncultivable, unfertile, unfruitful, unproductive, waste |
| Antonyms: | developing, fecund, fertile, filled, full, growing, productive, useful |
| Main Entry: | barren |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unprofitable |
| Synonyms: | dull, flat, fruitless, futile, lackluster, profitless, stale, uninspiring, unproductive, unrewarding, useless, vain, vapid |
| Antonyms: | developing, growing, productive, profitable |
| Main Entry: | blank |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | expressionless |
| Synonyms: | deadpan, dull, empty, fruitless, hollow, immobile, impassive, inane, inexpressive, inscrutable, lifeless, masklike, meaningless, noncommittal, poker-faced, stiff, stupid, uncommunicative, unexpressive, vacant, vacuous, vague |
| Antonyms: | animated |
| Main Entry: | effete |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unproductive |
| Synonyms: | barren, fruitless, impotent, infecund, infertile, sterile, unfruitful, unprolific |
| Antonyms: | productive, useful, working |
| Main Entry: | forlorn |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | hopeless, inconsolable |
| Synonyms: | abandoned, alone, bereft, blue*, cheerless, comfortless, cynical, defenseless, depressed, deserted, desolate, despairing, desperate, despondent, destitute, destroyed, disconsolate, down and out, dragging, forgotten, forsaken, friendless, fruitless, futile, godforsaken, helpless, homeless, in the dumps, lonely, lonesome, lost, miserable, oppressed, pathetic, pessimistic, pitiable, pitiful, solitary, tragic, unhappy, vain, weighed down, woebegone, wretched |
| Notes: | lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship, while lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness; forlorn and desolate are even more isolated and sad |
| Antonyms: | cheerful, comforted, consolable, happy, hopeful, joyful, pleased |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | futile |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | hopeless, pointless |
| Synonyms: | abortive, barren, bootless, delusive, empty, exhausted, forlorn, fruitless, hollow, idle, impracticable, impractical, in vain, ineffective, ineffectual, insufficient, no dice, nugatory, on a treadmill, otiose, out the window, profitless, resultless, save one's breath, sterile, to no avail, to no effect, to no purpose, trifling, trivial, unavailing, unimportant, unneeded, unproductive, unprofitable, unreal, unsatisfactory, unsubstantial, unsuccessful, useless, vain, valueless, worthless |
| Antonyms: | fruitful, hopeful, productive, profitable |
| Main Entry: | hollow |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | meaningless |
| Synonyms: | empty, fruitless, futile, idle, nugatory, otiose, pointless, specious, unavailing, useless, vain, worthless |
| Antonyms: | earnest, meaningful, sincere, substantial |
| Main Entry: | idle |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | worthless, ineffective |
| Synonyms: | abortive, bootless, empty, frivolous, fruitless, futile, groundless, hollow, insignificant, irrelevant, not serious, nugatory, of no avail, otiose, pointless, rambling, superficial, trivial, unavailing, unhelpful, unnecessary, unproductive, unsuccessful, useless, vain |
| Notes: | idle means not in action or at work; idyll means a simple descriptive work, either in poetry or prose, dealing with simple, rustic life - or a lighthearted carefree episode or experience; idyllic means excellent and delightful in all respects |
| Antonyms: | effective, important, productive, worthwhile |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
