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.

However, he provided little insight into the state of what he described as "ongoing" discussions with Iran's leadership, leaving open the possibility of hitting Iranian energy infrastructure if negotiations prove fruitless.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 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

Over the course of seven years and 700 sorties, 29 planes had been lost in a fruitless attempt to take out a single bridge across the Song Ma river, dubbed the Dragon’s Jaw.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 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