Roget's Thesaurus

#645. Inutility

Nouns

inutility; uselessness etc. adj.; inefficacy, futility; ineptitude, inaptitude; unsubservience; inadequacy etc. (insufficiency) 640; inefficiency, etc. (incompetence) 158; unskillfulness etc. 699; disservice; unfruitfulness etc. (unproductiveness).. 169; labor in vain, labor lost, labor of Sisyphus; lost trouble, lost labor; work of Penelope; sleeveless errand, wild goose chase, mere farce. tautology etc. (repetition) 104; supererogation etc. (redundancy) 641. vanitas vanitatum [Lat.], vanity, inanity, worthlessness, nugacity; triviality etc. (unimportance) 643. caput mortuum [Lat.], waste paper, dead letter; blunt tool. litter, rubbish, junk, lumber, odds and ends, cast-off clothes; button top; shoddy; rags, orts, trash, refuse, sweepings, scourings, offscourings, waste, rubble, debris, detritus; stubble, leavings; broken meat; dregs etc. (dirt) 653; weeds, tares; rubbish heap, dust hole; rudera, deads. fruges consumere natus [Lat.] [Horace]. etc. (drone) 683

Verbs

be useless etc. adj.; go a begging etc. (redundant) 641; fail etc. 732. seek after impossibilities, strive after impossibilities; use vain efforts, labor in vain, roll the stone of Sisyphus, beat the air, lash the waves, battre l'eau avec un baton [Fr.], donner un coup d'epee dans l'eau [Fr.], fish in the air, milk the ram, drop a bucket into an empty well, sow the sand; bay the moon; preach to the winds, speak to the winds; whistle jigs to a milestone; kick against the pricks, se battre contre des moulins [Fr.]; lock the stable door when the steed is stolen, lock the barn door after the horse is stolen etc. (too late) 135; hold a farthing candle to the sun; cast pearls before swine etc. (waste) 638; carry coals to Newcastle etc. (redundancy) 641; wash a blackamoor white etc. (impossible) 471. render useless etc. adj.; dismantle, dismast, dismount, disqualify, disable; unrig; cripple, lame etc. (injure) 659; spike guns, clip the wings; put out of gear.

Adjectives

useless, inutile, inefficacious, futile, unavailing, bootless; inoperative etc. 158; inadequate etc. (insufficient) 640; inservient, unsubservient; inept, inefficient etc. (impotent) 158; of no avail etc. (use) 644; ineffectual etc. (failure) 732; incompetent etc. (unskillful) 699; stale, flat and unprofitable; superfluous etc. (redundant) 641; dispensable; thrown away etc. (wasted) 638; abortive etc. (immature) 674. worthless, valueless, priceless; unsalable; not worth a straw etc. (trifling) 643, dear at any price. vain, empty, inane; gainless, profitless, fruitless; unserviceable, unprofitable; ill-spent; unproductive etc. 169; hors de combat [Fr.]; effete, past work etc. (impaired) 659; obsolete etc. (old) 124; fit for the dust hole; good for nothing; of no earthly use; not worth having, not worth powder and shot; leading to no end, uncalled for; unnecessary, unneeded.

Adverbs

uselessly etc. adj.; to little purpose, to no purpose, to little or no purpose.

Interjections

cui bono [Lat.]?; what's the good!

Phrases

actum ne agas [Lat.]; chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin [Fr.]; tanto buon che val niente [It.].