What's the difference between futile and pointless?

Futile


Definition:

  • (v. t.) Talkative; loquacious; tattling.
  • (v. t.) Of no importance; answering no useful end; useless; vain; worthless.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) It is suggested the participation of glycogen (starch) in the self-oscillatory mechanism of the futile cycle formed by the phosphofructokinase and fructose bisphosphatase reactions may give rise to oscillations with the period of 10(3)-10(4) min, which may serve as the basis for the cell clock.
  • (2) It also appears that she would have been one of those behind the government's futile attempts to oppose restrictions on neonicotinoids.
  • (3) Every time he felt the futility of his work for the NAACP, he’d finger the well-worn pages, and it would strengthen his resolve.” This is how classics of this calibre work their way into the literary bloodstream.
  • (4) Representing the Sun in the second hearing, Richard Spearman QC told the court that keeping the privacy injunction in place was futile.
  • (5) We propose that when rationing criteria refer to medical benefit, the meanings of futility and rationing share certain common features.
  • (6) So we have futile rhetoric on immigration, but minimal discussion over how to reinvent politics in the digital age.
  • (7) Last week’s International Women’s Day offered a fresh variation on that enjoyable, if futile, new pastime – posthumous EU partisanship.
  • (8) Inhibition of this futile cycling may represent one avenue by which energetic costs of maintenance and production can be lowered in ruminants.
  • (9) We postulated that the high-affinity potassium uptake system was able to generate such a steep gradient across the membrane that the low-affinity system would act in reverse, thus creating a futile cycle of potassium ions at the cost of energy.
  • (10) Zuckerberg has long been courting China’s leaders in a so far futile attempt to access the country with the world’s largest number of Internet users — 668 million as of last year.
  • (11) In 1986, while serving as prime minister and foreign minister, Peres held negotiations that led to the London agreement, the ultimately futile peace accord that included Israeli-Jordanian cooperation in administrating the West Bank.
  • (12) Futile cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may prevent humane care of the dying child and deprive parents of the opportunity to express their love, grief, and dedication at a critical moment, while appropriate and successful CPR may restore intact their child.
  • (13) Of the 8 women who had futile laparotomies, 4 had unilateral salpingectomy and a contralateral Pomeroy ligation, but insufficient tube remained for reversal; 2 others had single-burn cautery, but had insufficient tube length, and the Pomeroy procedures in 2 others left insufficient distal tissue.
  • (14) Furthermore, addition of low concentrations of PAPS (0.5 microM) to a reconstituted system of microsomes and cytosol impaired the formation of fluorescent product from 4-methylumbelliferyl sulfate until PAPS was consumed, indicating that futile cycling via arylsulfatase and sulfotransferase occurred.
  • (15) However, the early stages are often missed or lead to futile diagnostic endeavours.
  • (16) Ignoring personal ghosts, or those of an entire country traumatised by war and genocide, is futile and even dangerous.
  • (17) Rationing, triage, and medical futility in relation to AIDS patients require careful deliberation and consideration.
  • (18) It’s idealistic, it’s the right thing to do even if it turns out to be utterly futile.
  • (19) These unusual kinetic properties may be of significance with regard to the regulation of ornithine transcarbamylase in this organism, especially in the avoidance of a futile ornithine cycle.
  • (20) Iceland This strange and beautiful country is now as flooded with satellite trash as everywhere else, but is listed in the futile hope that the suppression it once practised might be revived.

Pointless


Definition:

  • (a.) Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as, a pointless sword; a pointless remark.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The citizenship debate is tawdry, conflated and ultimately pointless | Richard Ackland Read more On Wednesday, the prime minister criticised lawyers for backing terrorists.
  • (2) It’s the same story over and over.” Children’s author Philip Ardagh , who told the room he once worked as an “unprofessional librarian” in Lewisham, said: “Closing down a library is like filing off the end of a swordfish’s nose: pointless.” 'Speak up before there's nothing left': authors rally for National Libraries Day Read more “Today proves that support for public libraries comes from all walks of life and it’s not rocket science to work out why.
  • (3) But now the document turns crazily surreal, like the pointless war itself.
  • (4) And David Ngog was a pointless signing too – one which puzzled us all.
  • (5) "It is pointless to think sovereign bond rates could be brought down for an extended period of time by outside interventions," said Draghi.
  • (6) They aren't pointless; apart from any craft they may teach, they can also offer connections and contacts – a "way in" – which is the modern essential of anyone trying to start a career.
  • (7) An Australian family that lost three children and a grandfather in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has published an emotional tribute calling for an end to the “pointless war” in eastern Ukraine.
  • (8) People are criticising what we are doing as pointless and saying we won’t achieve anything, but history has shown us that is not the case,” student leader Joshua Wong told the crowd last week.
  • (9) It is pointless to go back over the missed opportunities, but an essential part of the design of this regional conference is that it should be able to be supported by Russia and China as well as the US.
  • (10) Hoodies don't vote, they've realised it's pointless, that whoever gets elected will just be a different shade of the "we don't give a toss about you" party.
  • (11) Bojórquez, the editor, says that for the moment the risks are manageable within his commitment to the idea that journalism is pointless unless it informs.
  • (12) The others are either infuriatingly vague (“An NHS with time to care”) or pointlessly catch-all (“A country where the next generation can do better than the last”).
  • (13) Especially when there’s no funeral to go to, just an endless stream of pointless review meetings.
  • (14) "If this doesn't bring down mortgage rates for 95% loans then the whole thing is completely pointless," he said.
  • (15) To express guarded optimism about the Greek deal is not to condone the provocative arrogance of former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis or the pointless vindictiveness of the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble .
  • (16) The PCC came under fire last week from the editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, who branded its report on phone hacking at the News of the World "worse than pointless".
  • (17) 3 Don’t be afraid to talk about corruption Poverty overseas is often associated with corruption: 67% of the British public think that government corruption makes donating to reduce poverty “pointless” (up from 48% in 2008), according to research from Jennifer and David Hudson.
  • (18) But it's a pointless endeavour if the fundraising activity contributes to and compounds the culture in which our breasts are only relevant if they're being admired by someone else's eyes.
  • (19) Quibbling over whether fashion is more or less important than art is just as pointless as questioning whether or not it is art.
  • (20) Why should Paris or Berlin waste political capital - they have suspicious voters too - on concessions to Britain when it may all be pointless?