all in vain

USAGE SUMMARY

"all in vain" is correct, and is commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to express futility or a lack of success with something. Example: Despite all of my efforts, they were all in vain.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Imagine finalising plans for a long-awaited new year family reunion – calling the parents, booking flights – when suddenly, the government posts a simple document online that renders it all in vain.

The Guardian

Forty-nine runs came off the last five overs of the Surrey innings, but after that sketchy start it was all in vain.

The Guardian - Sport

All in vain.

The New York Times - Books

It was all in vain.

The New York Times - Books

It is all in vain.

Independent

But it was all in vain.

The Economist

Life was all in vain.

The New York Times - Magazine

All in vain, I am afraid.

The Guardian - Sport

Alas, it was all in vain.

The New York Times

This argument was all in vain.

The Guardian

Yet is it all in vain?

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all in vain" to emphasize the futility of an action or effort, especially when significant resources or time have been invested. For example, "Despite hours of searching, it was "all in vain"; the keys were nowhere to be found."

Common error

Avoid using "all in vain" when the effort yielded some minor positive outcome. The phrase is best reserved for situations where the undertaking was entirely unsuccessful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all in vain" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate that an action or effort was unproductive or without positive result. Ludwig examples show it following verbs of action or states of being, emphasizing the lack of success.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Sport

15%

Books

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Science

7%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "all in vain" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverbial phrase that signifies the futility of an action or endeavor. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's employed to express disappointment when efforts yield no positive results. Its neutral register makes it suitable for various contexts, from news reports to casual conversations. When writing, ensure you use "all in vain" when there is a complete lack of positive outcomes, reserving it for situations where the investment of resources or effort has proven entirely fruitless. If you want to express a similar concept with different words, you can use alternatives such as "to no avail" or "futile".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

futile

This alternative indicates the pointlessness of the action from the outset.

to no avail

This alternative is more concise and emphasizes the lack of positive outcome.

pointless

This alternative clearly states there was no objective to accomplish.

for nothing

This alternative is simpler and suggests that efforts were wasted.

fruitless

This alternative highlights the unproductive nature of the effort.

unsuccessful

This alternative is straightforward and directly states the failure.

without success

This alternative provides a more formal and explicit expression of the lack of achievement.

ineffective

This alternative means lacking the power or ability to have an effect.

ineffectual

This alternative stresses the lack of power to produce a desired effect.

abortive

This alternative suggests that the effort was cut short or failed to fully develop.

FAQs

How can I use "all in vain" in a sentence?

Use "all in vain" to describe an effort that produces no results, such as, "His attempts to fix the car himself were "all in vain", so he called a mechanic."

What does "all in vain" mean?

"All in vain" means that an effort or attempt was completely unsuccessful or produced no desired result. Synonyms include "to no avail" or "for nothing".

Is "all in vain" formal or informal?

"All in vain" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While not overly technical, it clearly conveys the futility of an effort.

What can I say instead of "all in vain"?

You can use alternatives like "futile", "pointless", or "unsuccessful" depending on the context.