fruitless

a fruitless search.See Synonyms at futile

he was sent on this important and, in the event, quite fruitless mission.

his fruitless attempts to publish poetry.

So far the search for the missing middle-aged woman has been fruitless.

After repeated but fruitless demands for payment,he brought a suit against the debtor.

Then, after a few fruitless minutes searching for the plughole, you discover that to drain the water away, the entire devicetips rotates around until its disk is tipping gently forwards.