vain attempt

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.

Red Bull had Sergio Perez sacrifice his final lap to give Verstappen a tow on the run down to Parabolica on his final lap, in a vain attempt to vault up the grid.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2024

True, throwing a lot in a vain attempt to make a game of it in a 37-3 loss at Baltimore influenced that number.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2023

Wertz called several draft-age men in a vain attempt to prove the speech discouraged registration.

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2023

Ehud Olmert, a former Israeli prime minister who met with Mr. Abbas 36 times in 2007 and 2008 in an ultimately vain attempt to reach a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, welcomed Mr. Abbas’s clarification.

From New York Times • Aug. 17, 2022

Fires burned along the battlements, a vain attempt to drive the gloom away.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin