Jones never caught on, and continued the futile search for hours.

He has been there ever since, in a feverish but futile search for work.

None of this stuff about a futile search by the police.

After that we had begun our long and futile search.

"Do you mind if I tag along on your futile search?"

You wasted six years of your life in a futile search.

It had, after a futile search, come back with the news of his disappearance.

That futile search kept him very busy for the next couple of years.

For the first time in many months, Mother considered presenting the entire facts about their futile search to the children.

Time passed, and soon he began a futile search for an ashtray.