to no avail

1. Also, of little or no avail. Of no use or advantage, ineffective, as in All his shouting was to no avail; no one could hear him, or The life jacket was of little or no avail. This idiom uses avail in the sense of “advantage” or “assistance,” a usage dating from the mid-1400s. Also see to little purpose.

Example Sentences

She immediately called her and "pleaded with her not to do anything", but to no avail, the court heard.

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“The House will be in order!” he yelled to no avail.

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The group of tenants sent letters to the Los Angeles City Planning Department and other agencies, contacted Los Angeles City Councilmember Heather Hutt and sent appeals wherever they could be directed — all to no avail, said Laureen Seeley, another decade-long resident of the building.

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Bobba said he knew these people weren’t actually receiving benefits and tried to tell Musk so, to no avail, according to SSA officials.

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He searched for grants or support available, to no avail.

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Related Words

• fruitless 
• hollow 
• impractical 
• ineffective 
• ineffectual 
• insufficient 
• trivial 
• unproductive 
• unprofitable 
• unsuccessful 
• useless 
• vain 
• worthless