futile scheme

[ˈfjuːtəl skiːm]
noun phrasepl: futile schemes
plano fútil
1. a plan or plot that is incapable of producing the desired result; a doomed attempt
Their futile scheme to escape the island was discovered before it could be executed.
O plano fútil deles de escapar da ilha foi descoberto antes de ser executado.
2. a pointless or useless stratagem that lacks any chance of success
The company's futile scheme to compete with the market leader ultimately failed.
O plano fútil da empresa de competir com o líder de mercado acabou falhando.
Both American English and Brazilian Portuguese use this expression to describe plans that are obviously doomed to fail. In casual Brazilian speech, people might say 'plano furado' (punctured plan) or even 'plano fracassado' (failed plan) to express stronger skepticism or humor about the futility of something.
NYC Slang
a bust; a dead-end scheme; a no-go plan
Synonyms / Sinônimos
vain attemptdoomed planhopeless schemeabortive plotuseless stratagem
Antonyms / Antônimos
viable plansuccessful schemeproductive strategyfeasible plan

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
plano fútil
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
plano furado
colloquial, literally 'punctured plan'
São Paulo
esquema inútil
alternative formal usage
Portugal
plano fútil
same as Brazilian Portuguese, with occasional use of 'tentativa vã'

Related Words

futilityschemeplotstratagemendeavorattempt

Related Idioms & Phrases

beating a dead horse
barking up the wrong tree
crying over spilled milk
tilting at windmills
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