Dictionary

ineffectual en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌɪnɪˈfɛkt͡ʃuəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌɪnəˈfɛkt͡ʃuəl/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English effectual English ineffectual From in- + effectual.

Meanings

1. Unable or insufficient to produce effect.
   • And this is where the larger problem lies: when states try to enforce impossible bans, everyone loses. 3D printing farragoes have all the hallmarks of the absolute worst kind of ineffectual ban: one which encourages overly draconian laws that carry huge side effects, and that ultimately to have little to no effect. 2013 May 10, James Ball, “US government attempts to stifle 3D-printer gun designs will ultimately fail”, in The Guardian:
   • Until the recent rash of North London line maps appeared on station billboards in the London area of BR, the service undoubtedly suffered from meagre and ineffectual publicity. 1964 July 14, “News and Comment: The Broad Street-Richmond line”, in Modern Railways, page 17:
   • 1865, Henry David Thoreau, Cape Cod, Chapter II. "Stage-coach Views", page 16. This coach was an exceedingly narrow one, but as there was a slight spherical excess over two on a seat, the driver waited till nine passengers had got in, without taking the measure of any of them, and then shut the door after two or three ineffectual slams, as if the fault were all in the hinges or the latch,—while we timed our inspirations and expirations so as to assist him.
2. Worthless; ineffective.
3. Weak, indecisive; lacking forcefulness.
   • Our group leader proved highly ineffectual, caving to every whim put forth by the other members.

Forms

Antonyms

useful · effectual · effectual · valuable · effectual · decisive · strong

Deriveds

ineffectuate · ineffectuality · ineffectually · ineffectual dependent · ineffectualize · ineffectualness

Synonyms

pointless · drecky · nought · unsatisfactory · sorry-ass · worth nothing · inefficacious · toshy · not worth a Continental · wanting · insufficient · bastardly · dry · cruddy · rubbishy · vain · trinkety · awanting · spare · not worth a curse · of no value · tired · paltry · otiose · unavailing · mouldy · deficient · cullionly · not worth a damn · unvaluable · shand · scant · unprofitable · tenth-rate · dreckish · fucking · worthless · shitty-ass · shitstained · vain · profitless · not worth a whistle · feckless · not worth salt · threadbare · draffy · not worth a nickel · gainless · no good · barren · crapalicious · nonvaluable · bootless · not worth a dime · unutilizable · suckworthy · void · floccinaucinihilipilificatious · meager · blown · good-for-naught · deficient · scantling · sixpenny · ambivalent · sparse · not worth hell room · chaffy · cocking · unappreciated · futile · putid · dismal · shit · lank · wanty · pissass · idle · exiguous · scummy · mucid · not worth a cent · junky · not worth a farthing · triobolar · valueless · scanty · sleazy · lean · purposeless · valueless · no-account · inadequate · unsufficient · not worth a penny · inefficacious · skimpy · raunchy · scabbed · no good / no-good · slender · unuseful · invaluable · measly · fruitless · garbagey · screwy · ineffectual · for the birds · punk · good-for-nothing · two-bit · naughty · jabberwocky · not worth a brass farthing · not worth a plug nickel · lousy · poor · inutile · strawlike · scarce · geason · sterile · draffish · shitey · rubbishly · useless · two-bit · ineffectual · tripy · wutless · cacky · pointless · goodless · insufficient · duffing · not worth a cress

Translations (32)

pl nieudolny (weak, indecisive) · de fruchtlos (futile) · de unwirksam (futile) · pl bezskuteczny (futile) · es ineficaz (weak, indecisive) · fi saamaton (weak, indecisive) · de vergeblich (futile) · mi ngoringori (weak, indecisive) · de sinnlos (futile) · es ineficaz (futile) · fi pystymätön (weak, indecisive) · de halbherzig (weak, indecisive) · mi rōrā (weak, indecisive) · fi tulokseton (futile) · es inoperante (weak, indecisive) · pl bezpłodny (futile) · es inefectual (weak, indecisive) · pl nieskuteczny (weak, indecisive) · de nicht durchsetzungsfähig (weak, indecisive) · pl nieskuteczny (futile) · de schwach (weak, indecisive) · sa विफल (futile) · de vergebens (futile) · fi hyödytön (futile) · el αναποτελεσματικός (futile) · es inefectual (futile) · pl nadaremny (futile) · de nutzlos (futile) · de wirkungslos (futile) · de untauglich (futile) · de nachgiebig (weak, indecisive) · de ineffektiv (futile)