Standard Lemma guide

ineffectual

adj · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɪnɪˈfɛkt͡ʃuəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌɪnəˈfɛkt͡ʃuəl/
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N AH0 F EH1 K CH UW0 AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unable or insufficient to produce effect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inefficacious, pointless, bootless, barren, futile, sterile, fruitless, gainless, idle, inane, ineffectual, inutile, no good, otiose, profitless, purposeless, tired, unavailing, unprofitable, unuseful, unutilizable, useless, vain, void

Antonyms: effectual, useful

2

adj

Meaning 2

Worthless; ineffective.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

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

Antonyms: effectual, valuable

3

adj

Meaning 3

Weak, indecisive; lacking forcefulness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Our group leader proved highly ineffectual, caving to every whim put forth by the other members.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ambivalent, feckless

Antonyms: decisive, effectual, strong

4

adjective

Meaning 4

not producing an intended effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an ineffective teacher
  • ineffective legislation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ineffective, uneffective

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

lacking in power or forcefulness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an ineffectual ruler
  • like an unable phoenix in hot ashes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ineffective, unable

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

producing no result or effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a futile effort
  • the therapy was ineffectual
  • an otiose undertaking
  • an unavailing attempt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: futile, otiose, unavailing

Antonyms: none provided

History

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.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: tulokseton — futile
  • Finnish: hyödytön — futile
  • German: ineffektiv — futile
  • German: nutzlos — futile
  • German: fruchtlos — futile
  • German: vergeblich — futile
  • German: sinnlos — futile
  • German: vergebens — futile
  • German: unwirksam — futile
  • German: untauglich — futile
  • German: wirkungslos — futile
  • Greek: αναποτελεσματικός (anapotelesmatikós) — futile
  • Polish: bezskuteczny — futile
  • Polish: nieskuteczny — futile
  • Polish: nadaremny — futile
  • Polish: bezpłodny — futile
  • Sanskrit: विफल (viphala) — futile
  • Spanish: inefectual — futile
  • Spanish: ineficaz — futile
  • Finnish: pystymätön — weak, indecisive
  • Finnish: saamaton — weak, indecisive
  • German: nicht durchsetzungsfähig — weak, indecisive
  • German: nachgiebig — weak, indecisive
  • German: schwach — weak, indecisive
  • German: halbherzig — weak, indecisive
  • Māori: ngoringori — weak, indecisive
  • Māori: rōrā — weak, indecisive
  • Polish: nieudolny — weak, indecisive
  • Polish: nieskuteczny — weak, indecisive
  • Spanish: inoperante — weak, indecisive
  • Spanish: inefectual — weak, indecisive
  • Spanish: ineficaz — weak, indecisive
Real reading context

ineffectual in complete knowledge articles

South Island Landless Natives Act 1906 Places & the world · Challenging · 1 uses