as in unsuccessful
not producing the desired result
a well-intentioned but feckless response to the rise in school violence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of feckless
Neither Oh’s dizzy countess nor Nyong’o’s charming, feckless Viola ever takes the reins of this production, but that would be hard to do.
—
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
This article is not useful to most of us, because 90% of towns and cities in this country are locked into a single ISP, effectively local monopolies legitimized by the feckless FCC, Congress, and state legislatures.
—Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Aug. 2025
Cruel things happen, yet each also does good things for each other, and their lives become entwined, even more so when both become attracted to the seemingly feckless Fiyero (Ethan Kirschbaum).
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 1 Aug. 2025
In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for feckless
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
This article is not useful to most of us, because 90% of towns and cities in this country are locked into a single ISP, effectively local monopolies legitimized by the feckless FCC, Congress, and state legislatures.
—Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Aug. 2025
Cruel things happen, yet each also does good things for each other, and their lives become entwined, even more so when both become attracted to the seemingly feckless Fiyero (Ethan Kirschbaum).
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 1 Aug. 2025
In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for feckless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for feckless
Adjective
-
The Mellon family foundation did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment, and attempts by the Times to reach Mellon were unsuccessful.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Doing so would lead to an unreliable, inefficient energy grid.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Brentford were inefficient with their finishing against West Ham on Monday, converting just one of five in a dominant display.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Movies like Eddington and The Mastermind also render their white male protagonists as ill-prepared and ineffectual numbskulls incapable of confronting their era’s racial and social politics.—
Robert Daniels,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
-
As Florida has become increasingly dominated by Republicans, the state Democratic Party has been weakened by infighting and largely ineffectual in elections.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Worse, the aluminum has a tendency to throw off fragments when struck, producing more debris, which is rather counterproductive.—
David Szondy
October 26,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Still, student editors argue the move to cut print is counterproductive since advertising revenue generated $11,000 in profit from three print editions this semester.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Feckless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/feckless. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share