ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Fruitless

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈfɹuːtləs/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Fruitless is an adjective meaning Bearing no fruit; barren.

Meaning

Bearing no fruit; barren.

More Meanings

  1. (figuratively) Unproductive, useless.
  2. (figuratively, archaic) Of a person: unable to have children; barren, infertile.
  3. (rare) Of a diet, etc.: without fruit.

Example Sentences

The unskilled man’s attempt at fixing his car engine was fruitless.
Here alſo ſprong that goodly golden fruit, / With which Acontius got his louer trew, / Whom he had long time ſought with fruitleſſe ſuit; […]
The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate, Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors; Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain, Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search; […]
[W]hatever Preparations ſoever are made for the Salvation of Sinners, and of how long ſoever they are, yet the God-tempting, God-provoking, and fruitleſs Profeſſor is like to go without a Share therein: […]

Word Forms

Synonyms for fruitless

Depending on context, synonyms include bootless, barren, futile, gainless, idle, inane.

Antonyms for fruitless

Common opposites include fruitful, effective, efficacious, productive, useful.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include unproductive, futile, bootless, vain, sleeveless, meaningless.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.