ineffectual

C2+ Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /ˌɪnəˈfɛktʃuəl/ UK /ˌɪnɪˈfɛktʃuəl/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
failing to produce the intended effect; lacking force

His ineffectual protests did nothing to change the decision.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · failing to produce the... ineffective futile fruitless unavailing vain useless

Opposites

effectual effective successful potent

Word family

Forms ineffectuallyineffectualness

Derived forms ineffectuallyineffectualnessineffectuality

Related forms effectual effect effective efficacious

Etymology

From in- ('not') + effectual, from Medieval Latin effectualis, from Latin effectus ('accomplishment'), from efficere ('to bring about'), from ex- ('out') + facere ('to do, make').

effectus Latin facere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process Word Formation & Derivatives

# ineffectual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌɪnəˈfɛktʃuəl
**IPA (UK):** ˌɪnɪˈfɛktʃuəl

## Meanings
1. failing to produce the intended effect; lacking force

## Examples
- His ineffectual protests did nothing to change the decision.

## Synonyms
- ineffective
- futile
- fruitless
- unavailing
- vain
- useless

## Antonyms
- effectual
- effective
- successful
- potent

## Derived Forms
- ineffectually
- ineffectualness
- ineffectuality

## Related Forms
- effectual
- effect
- effective
- efficacious

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: effectus
- Root: facere

## Etymology
From in- ('not') + effectual, from Medieval Latin effectualis, from Latin effectus ('accomplishment'), from efficere ('to bring about'), from ex- ('out') + facere ('to do, make').

## AI Etymology
Ineffectual comes from in- ('not') + effectual, from Medieval Latin effectualis, from Latin effectus ('accomplishment'), from efficere ('to bring about'), from ex- ('out') + facere ('to do, make'). The historical trail runs through Latin effectus and Latin facere. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means failing to produce the intended effect; lacking force. Derived formations include ineffectually, ineffectualness, ineffectuality; related forms include effectual, effect, effective, efficacious.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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