Skip to content

Log in Sign up free

Loading…

Home
Subjects
Past papers
Key terms
Pricing

My courses

Select your courses

Loading…

Subjects

Biology
Business
Chemistry
Citizenship Studies
Classics
Combined Science
Computer Science
Design and Technology
English Language
English Literature
Film Studies
Food Preparation and Nutrition
Geography
History
Mathematics
Media Studies
Physical Education
Physics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Statistics

Resources

Browse courses
Past papers
Key terms & definitions
Pricing

About

Sign up
Log in
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

© 2026 GradeGen

Not affiliated with any exam board.

Home
English Literature
Key terms
Futility

GCSE English Literature · key term

Futility

Definition

Pointlessness or ineffectiveness: effort and suffering fail to achieve a meaningful result.

Used by AQA and Edexcel

How each exam board covers it

AQA GCSE English Literature · 8702

Paper 2

Revise: Exposure

AQA English Literature past papers

Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

Paper 2

Pointlessness: effort or suffering that appears to achieve nothing.
Revise: Exposure

Edexcel English Literature past papers

Related key terms

Caesura
Cyclical structure
Ellipsis
Personification
Refrain

Get more free notes every week

Create a free account to keep every note you open and track your progress.

Create free account Log in

Futility — AQA & Edexcel GCSE English Literature Definition