ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Medium
Despite the team's best efforts, their innovative project was ultimately deemed <b>futile</b>. What does 'futile' mean?
- AProductive
- BUseless
- CSuccessful
- DChallenging
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Useless
The phrase 'despite the team's best efforts' suggests that the outcome was negative or disappointing. 'Futile' means incapable of producing any useful result, which is synonymous with 'useless'.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Productive implies a positive outcome, which contradicts the context.
- C. Successful is the opposite of futile.
- D. Challenging describes difficulty, not the ultimate outcome of the effort.
Futile
Incapable of producing any useful result; pointless.
- Often describes efforts or actions.
- Implies a sense of hopelessness or waste.
- Synonyms: vain, fruitless, ineffective, useless.
Memory trick: Futility is like 'failing' and 'useless' efforts.