fruitlessfruit‧less /ˈfruːtləs/ adjective 
a fruitless attempt to settle the dispute So far, their search has been fruitless.—fruitlessly adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- After weeks of fruitless argument they finally agreed to go their separate ways.
- I spent the next three hours in a fruitless search of her room.
- Rescue efforts have been called off after three days of fruitless searching.
- Their attempt to settle the dispute by peaceful negotiations proved fruitless.
- And why has the determined search for alternatives proved so fruitless?
- But all attempts to isolate and identify viruses from infected tissue proved fruitless.
- Oldham's attack had a fruitless afternoon against a Rovers' rearguard in which Kevin Moran was outstanding.
- Program evaluation is commonly thought of as a dry, fruitless endeavor, extolled in theory but ignored in practice.
- The result is a crippling and ever-growing burden of fruitless debt.
- These discussions proved fruitless, with each side blaming the other for the failure to resolve the growing crisis.
- When efforts to persuade them to go proved fruitless, the building began to be demolished around their heads.
Longman Language Activatorwhen a plan or attempt fails
if a plan or attempt fails , it does not achieve what you want it to achieve: · They said the latest space mission was bound to fail.· Try changing the spark plugs, but if that fails take the car to a mechanic.fail to do something: · The investigation failed to establish the cause of the accident.something never fails: · The only way I can make her help me is to pretend I don't want her help. It never fails.
when a plan or attempt fails : failure of: · The failure of the peace talks has led to increased tension on the streets.end/result in failure: · Their first attempt to climb Mount Everest ended in failure.
to fail: · Hoover's attempts to boost the economy did not succeed.· I argued that neither strategy could succeed.not succeed in doing something: · The campaign might not succeed in eliminating the disease, but it would make people think about health and hygiene.
an unsuccessful attempt to do something does not have the result that you wanted: · The army made an unsuccessful attempt to end the rebellion.· I regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful.
: vain attempt/effort/search a serious attempt, effort etc that is completely unsuccessful: · I remembered all my vain attempts to change his mind.· He stretched up his arms in a vain effort to reach the top of the embankment.
: fruitless attempt/search/effort etc one that fails completely to bring the result that you want: · I spent the next three hours in a fruitless search of her room.· After weeks of fruitless argument they finally agreed to go their separate ways.· Their attempt to settle the dispute by peaceful negotiations proved fruitless.
a meeting, discussion etc that is unproductive produces very few good results: · The meeting was long and noisy, but unproductive.· It was one of those unproductive confrontations between students and senior members of the university.
to be unsuccessful - use this especially about something that fails even though it was very carefully planned: · The government's expensive election campaign had been a failure.be a complete/total failure: · There was a 5-year plan to modernize the economy, but it was a complete failure.
if a planned attempt to do something goes wrong , it fails after it has started well: · The experiment went wrong when the chemicals combined to form a poisonous gas.go badly wrong British (=fail completely): · The rescue attempt went badly wrong when the building collapsed.
if a method or attempt does not work , it fails because it is not suitable or not right for the situation you are in: · I tried to fix it with glue, but that didn't work.not work with: · Teaching methods that work with adults do not always work with children.
if something you do to try to help or deal with a problem does no good , it does not have any useful effect: · Calm down Robyn. Getting hysterical will do no good.· You can try and persuade her to change her mind, but I don't think it'll do any good.do no good whatsoever (=have no useful effect at all): · Judges expect a certain level of competence, so staging a little-girl-lost act in court will do no good whatsoever.
if a plan, arrangement, or deal falls through , something stops it from happening, with the result that people are disappointed: · The deal fell through because they couldn't get enough money from the bank.· It was unbelievable -- it took two years to set the whole thing up and it fell through at the last minute!
if a business or political plan is dead in the water, it has failed completely, almost before it has even started - used especially in newspapers: · Their election campaign now appears to be dead in the water.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a fruitless attempt to settle the dispute So far, their search has been fruitless.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a fruitless attempt to settle the dispute So far, their search has been fruitless. (=an unsuccessful one)· I spent many hours in a fruitless search for accommodation.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· This week, be ready for irritating news and yet another fruitless attempt at communication.
· Yet all the signs were that this was going to be a fruitless exercise.· The demonstrators denounced the economic summit as a futile and fruitless exercise.
· He's suffering from dehydration because of his fruitless search for water.· Long have I combed the vilest quarters of this town on fruitless search for thee.
WORD FAMILYnounfruitfruitionfruitereradjectivefruitful ≠ fruitlessfruityverbfruitadverbfruitfully ≠ fruitlessly
failing to achieve what was wanted, especially after a lot of effort OPP fruitfulfruitless attempt/exercise a fruitless attempt to settle the dispute So far, their search has been fruitless.—fruitlessly adverb