avail
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help.
His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.
-
to be of value or profit.
noun
-
advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective.
His belated help will be of little or no avail.
-
Archaic. avails, profits or proceeds.
idioms
verb
-
to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)
-
to make use of to one's advantage
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
availsimple
-
availssimple
-
have availedperfect
-
has availedperfect
-
am availingprogressive
-
are availingprogressive
-
is availingprogressive
-
have been availingperfect progressive
-
has been availingperfect progressive
Past
-
availedsimple
-
had availedperfect
-
was availingprogressive
-
were availingprogressive
-
had been availingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of avail
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English availe, from a- a- 2 + Old French vail-, noun stem of valoir “to be worth,” from Latin valēre “to be strong, be well, be of worth”
Explanation
To avail means to take advantage of an opportunity, the way you'd be crazy not to avail yourself of a chocolate milkshake on Free Milkshake Day at your local ice cream parlor. Sometimes avail is used to mean "help," and in that case it can be used in a sentence like "Nothing seemed to avail me, not even winning the lottery." More often though, avail shows up in the company of "oneself of," as in the sentence, "I hope you avail yourself of my advice, because I'm very wise." It might seem like a complicated way to use a verb, but it's one you should avail yourself of if you're hoping to impress someone.
Vocabulary lists containing avail
Grade 12, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oswell said the bull's owner drove a cow to the cricket club in an effort to entice the animal off the field, but to no avail.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
One 59-year-old with 34 years of experience in the financial-services sector has been job hunting for 17 months, to no avail.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026
Her government has favored dialogue with the protesting teachers, but to no avail.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The U.S., the United Arab Emirates and Australia objected, to no avail as Iran took its seat.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Penelope folded her arms and squinted, then made a telescope out of her cupped hands, but to no avail.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
