Finally, after years of futile struggle, she gave up, accepting the fact that nothing she could do could make her husband get sober. (religion-online.org)
The global conservation movement is little more than a century old and, throughout its life, has displayed a consistent and defining characteristic: a brave and worthy but often futile struggle against the forces of growing human consumption, typified by persistent and widespread declines in species» populations, habitats, and natural resources, and the rising specter of climate change. (academic.oup.com)
Futile struggles with a rising sea To stop the flooding in his bakery, Alokoa decided to use his and his wife's own money to buy 150 bags of cement. (scientificamerican.com)