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Definitions
Trivia Time
Which fictional collective is known for the phrase "Resistance is futile?"

futile

[fyoot-l, fyoo-tahyl] / ˈfjut l, ˈfju taɪl /


Example Sentences

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Despite knowing he was being tailed by a trained pursuit driver, Richardson tried to flee, first speeding through narrow residential streets and then making a final futile attempt to escape on foot.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

It’s as if the world tacitly acknowledges that getting this tale truly right is a futile pursuit.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Rome’s ancient rulers were among the first and most frequent combatants to cross and recross the Rhine in their futile quest to conquer Germania.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Named Wilbur by the hive mind of social media, the animal blew up online after resident Jamaal Harrison posted a video to TikTok on Saturday showing his futile attempts to catch it on an e-bike.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Doesn’t it seem to say that the outcome was inevitable, and that it would therefore be futile to try to change the outcome today?

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond


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