1. (a.) Lacking, or not bearing, fruit; barren; destitute of offspring; as, a fruitless tree or shrub; a fruitless marriage.

2. (a.) Productive of no advantage or good effect; vain; idle; useless; unprofitable; as, a fruitless attempt; a fruitless controversy.

abortive acarpous arid barren bootless celibate childless counterproductive desert desolate drained dried-up dry effete empty etiolated exhausted failed failing fallow fatuitous fatuous feckless foiled frustrated futile gainless gaunt gelded idle impotent inadequate inane ineffective ineffectual inefficacious infecund infertile inoperative invalid issueless jejune lame leached manque menopausal miscarried miscarrying nonfertile nonproducing nonproductive nonprolific nonremunerative nugacious nugatory of no effect of no force otiose pointless profitless rewardless sine prole sterile stickit stillborn successless sucked dry teemless thwarted unavailable unavailing uncultivated unfertile unfortunate unfruitful unplowed unproductive unprofitable unprolific unremunerative unrewarding unsown unsuccessful untilled useless vain virgin waste wasted without issue worthless