Fu"tile (?; 277), a. [L. futilis that easily pours out, that easily lets loose, vain, worthless, from the root of fundere to pour out: cf. F. futile. See Fuse, v. t.]

1. Talkative; loquacious; tattling. [Obs.]

Talkers and futile persons.

2. Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain; worthless. "Futile theories." I. Taylor.

His reasoning . . . was singularly futile.

• incapable of producing results; useless
  
• not successful