U'se'less, a.

a. Having no use; unserviceable; producing no good end; answering no valuable purpose; not advancing the end proposed; as, a useless garment; useless pity.

Not to sit idle with so great a gift useless. Milton.

Synonyms— Fruitless; ineffectual. — USELESS, FRUITLESS, INEFFECTUAL. We speak of an attempt, &c., as useless (not capable of being used to effect) when there are in it inherent difficulties which forbid the hope of success; as, it is useless to contend against the decisions of Providence. We speak of it as fruitless when it fails, not from any such difficulties, but from some unexpected hinderance or calamity arising to frustrate it; as, the design was rendered fruitless by the death of its projector. It is useless to attempt any thing without adequate means; and even when we do possess them, our efforts are often fruitless. Ineffectual nearly resembles fruitless, but implies a failure of a less hopeless character; as, after several ineffectual efforts, I at last succeeded.

Useless are all words Till you have writ “performance” with your swords. Beau. & Fl.

All searches into antiquity, in relation to this controversy, are either needless or fruitless. Waterland.

Even our blessed Savior’s preaching, who spake as never man spake, was ineffectual to many. Stillingfleet.