vain attempt

In a vain attempt at positive self-reinforcement, chalk all this up to maybe having worked out too hard last week.

Such incantations are nothing more than a vain attempt to reclaim lost influence.

So let's reach into our bag of metaphors in what I fear will be a vain attempt to put Karl's column into context.

The shots had summoned the other two men who were thrashing about in a vain attempt to find the cause of the shooting.

Festing braced himself in a vain attempt to hold them, for the trail was half covered with tall grass and broken by badger holes.

Montgomery was killed and Arnold wounded in a vain attempt to carry the city by storm on the last night of 1775.

The cries of suffering humanity were disregarded in a vain attempt to practise doubtful virtues.

After a vain attempt to get rid of our enfeebled yaks, we continued up the great river along its right or eastern bank terrace.