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.

She’s so radiant that when Marina dims her wattage in a vain attempt to stay off the radar, we really feel the light in her go out.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

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

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2023

Geno Smith threw an interception on a vain attempt to Tyler Lockett.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 25, 2022

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

I held up my hands in a vain attempt to stop this runaway train of thought.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall