useless help vs futile help

Both "useless help" and "futile help" are correct phrases, but they convey slightly different nuances. "Useless help" implies that the assistance provided is not helpful or beneficial, while "futile help" suggests that the effort to help is pointless or ineffective. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to emphasize the lack of value in the help (useless) or the lack of success in achieving the intended outcome (futile).

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 738 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe assistance that is not helpful or beneficial.

"useless help"

This phrase is used to describe help that does not provide any value or assistance in a given situation.

Examples:

I appreciate your offer, but your advice was useless help.
The extra tools he provided turned out to be useless help in solving the problem.
She felt frustrated by the useless help she received from her colleagues.
The manual was full of useless help that didn't address the real issues.
His attempt to fix the issue was nothing but useless help.

Show examples from the web [+]

By proving she's useless, she helps a system she rejects.
Absolutely useless... the proper help.
The more people who are convinced of it ("As Greece is going to fail, help is useless"), the more likely becomes the outcome desired by financial market participants, although it is not in the general interest.
We help big greedy advertising agencies sell the useless products of massive morally corrupt multinational corporations.
We need your help with a. Cooper is useless.
It's useless even if you cry for help.
Maybe shshcan help me look for the test, 'cause you're useless.
With a little luck, All we'll need is some help from jill's basement Full of useless antiques.
God, I am so sorry I can't help. I'm useless at this.
I really wish I could do more to help, but I know wishing's pretty useless.
Useless to ask, but I can't help it.
All of the abilities I'd explored seemed useless If I couldn't help Amanda sneak out of the house.
I watched the whole thing on TV, feeling totally useless, and like I wanted to help, but they weren't letting planes in, obviously.
That position is as useless as the surveyor's, as I emphasised to the Mayor, but he wants to help you.
Are you going to help end this war or are you useless?
I do not see in the least why the combination of previously useless instruments should, suddenly and on its own, help to achieve a real breakthrough as regards job creation and economic growth within the European Union.

Alternatives:

unhelpful assistance
ineffective help
worthless aid
pointless support
ineffectual assistance

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe assistance that is ineffective or pointless in achieving the desired outcome.

"futile help"

This phrase is used to emphasize that the effort to help is in vain or unsuccessful in achieving the intended goal.

Examples:

Despite their best efforts, their attempts to fix the issue were futile help.
The donations, though well-intentioned, turned out to be futile help in the long run.
She realized that her intervention was nothing but futile help in the situation.
The additional resources provided by the organization proved to be futile help in improving the situation.
His repeated attempts to assist were met with futile helplessness.

Show examples from the web [+]

Our investigation's futile if you don't help.
Mr. investigation's futile if you don't help.
Efforts to find out, including under the auspices of the United Nations Organisation, have proven futile and I should like to raise the question of the European Parliament's possibly doing something to help.

Alternatives:

ineffectual assistance
pointless help
vain support
fruitless aid
unsuccessful assistance

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useless help vs futile help

"useless help"

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