Skip to main content
avail

avail

28 7.7
Help or benefit that something gives
  • noun
  • /əˈveɪl/
translation icon : utilidad
  • Years of therapy, all to no avail.
  • little avail

And there are a lot of active citizens who are trying to oppose it to, I'm sorry to say, little or no avail.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • I fought and struggled and pleaded, but to absolutely no avail.

  • Friends and family had begged Victor to go into hiding, but to no avail.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Michael has tried to get through to you all evening to no avail.

  • I have tried to explain this to my wife, but to no avail.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The truth is, a mere college education is of no avail in industry today.

    Academic text (1996)
  • If that is of no avail, consult your local university library.

    Academic text (2002)
  • We searched every building and every inch of the grounds, to no avail.

  • Efforts were made to stop the shipment of these vessels, but to no avail.

    Academic text (2009)
  • We've offered to make peace with Zagon, but to no avail.

  • Despite his best efforts, the job applications provided him with little avail.

Synonyms

help
vsavail
1.0

An act that makes something easier for someone

emphasizes the benefit or advantage that results rather than the act of assisting
use
vsavail
1.0

The purpose or job that something has

focuses on the benefit or advantage obtained rather than the action

Antonyms

820 1.0

A bad effect on people or things

108 2.9

A condition that makes it harder to succeed or compete

Idioms

to little avail
  • Archaic
1 7.4

With little success and no real result

Compounds

1 8.0

Very little help when you try to do something

How Useful

usefulness
40 1.6
avail
28 7.7
uselessness
6 4.3

Surface Forms

avail singular
avails plural

Etymology

Avail comes from an old root val- meaning 'to be worth' or 'be strong', the same idea behind value. So as a noun, avail means 'use' or 'help', something that is of 'worth' to you.