uselessly
uselessly — adverb
1. with no result, failing to do or produce what someone hoped for or needed
with no result, failing to do or produce what someone hoped for or needed
Samir tugged uselessly at the locked gate, but it would not move an inch.
verb + uselessly: an action that fails to achieve its goal
The broken fan spun uselessly in the corner while the room grew hotter.
describes a machine working but achieving nothing useful
Rescue boats searched uselessly for hours before the storm forced them back to shore.
Roya waved uselessly at the bus as it pulled away from the stop.
The old battery sat uselessly in the drawer because no charger would fit it.
- pointlessly
stresses there was no point in doing it at all
- fruitlessly
more formal; emphasises that effort led to no result
- vainly
literary; the attempt failed despite hope or effort
- usefully
in a way that helps or achieves something
- effectively
in a way that produces the intended result
用法筆記
Most often modifies a verb of effort or motion to stress that the action produced nothing. Also describes machines or objects that exist or move yet serve no purpose.