avail

American  

[uh-veyl] / əˈveɪl /

verb (used with object)

1. to be of use or value to; profit; advantage.

   All our efforts availed us little in trying to effect a change.

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verb (used without object)

1. to be of use; have force or efficacy; serve; help.

   His strength did not avail against the hostile onslaught.

2. to be of value or profit.

noun

1. advantage; use; efficacy; effective use in the achievement of a goal or objective.

   His belated help will be of little or no avail.

2. Archaic. avails, profits or proceeds.

idioms

1. avail oneself of, to use to one's advantage.

   They availed themselves of the opportunity to hear a free concert.

avail British  

/ əˈveɪl /

verb

1. to be of use, advantage, profit, or assistance (to)

2. to make use of to one's advantage

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noun

1. use or advantage (esp in the phrases of no avail, to little avail )

avail More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing avail

• to no avail

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Other Word Forms

• availingly adverb
• unavailed adjective

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”

Example Sentences

The child appeared to struggle communicating with his sibling and mother, while his brother repeatedly tried to give directions to him in Spanish with little avail.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Stars like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and teenage wonder Macklin Celebrini repeatedly barraged the zone, to no avail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

With their mother gone, the teenager tried to feed the baby, who was exclusively breastfed, formula to no avail.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

In an open letter, Tawfiq al-Tirawi, 77, said he had repeatedly alerted the Palestinian president to cases of graft, but to no avail.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

Heatedly he banged a mayonnaise-smeared fist on the side of the television console, to no avail.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen