made a futile effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made a futile effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an attempt that was unsuccessful or did not achieve the desired outcome. Example: "Despite their best intentions, they made a futile effort to convince the committee to change their decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

President Kennedy had foreseen this when he made a futile effort to persuade new exiles to settle in other parts of the country.

The New York Times

(In the summer of 2010, he made a futile effort to rally support in Congress for ending the Bush tax cuts).

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"The constitutional prerogative of the president," said Mr. Bush's chief spokeswoman, Dana M. Perino, "would make it a futile effort for Congress to refer contempt citations to U.S. attorneys".

The New York Times

They met again in her study when she made a last futile effort to dissaude him from leaving the government.

The Guardian

Seth Moulton recently made headlines for mounting a futile effort to derail Nancy Pelosi's bid to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.

BBC

Nor was I trying to make cool teen friends in a futile effort to hold onto my waning youth as part of some 21 Jump Street-style sting operation.

Vice

If there is a lesson I take from all this, it is that we should not disavow our hatreds in a futile effort to make ourselves – to make the world – clean.

The Guardian

Carla Del Ponte, the prosecutor for the United Nations war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, made what is likely to be a futile effort to keep the Rwandan mandate, telling the Security Council that it would be costly, inefficient and politically unwise to relieve her of those responsibilities.

The New York Times

In a futile effort to make Congressional Republicans happy enough that they might actually agree to other things, President Obama has committed to making the incredibly expensive complex of nuclear labs and production plants even more incredibly expensive.

The New York Times

But the lower federal courts disagree sharply over the question that the justices agreed today to decide: whether inmates faced with an administrative process that does not provide the type of relief they are seeking are still required to make a predictably futile effort.

The New York Times

A once formidable professional golfer, brought low by personal scandals, lets a camera follow him around during a rocky comeback attempt in a futile effort to make himself an object of sympathy.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an attempt that yielded no results, consider using "made a futile effort" to emphasize the lack of success despite the effort expended.

Common error

Avoid using "made a futile effort" when the attempt had a small chance of success. This phrase is best reserved for situations where the effort was inherently unlikely to succeed from the outset.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made a futile effort" functions as a verbal phrase indicating an action undertaken with no success. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase is usable in written English. It describes an attempt that didn't achieve its goal.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "made a futile effort" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe an unsuccessful attempt, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's considered to be of neutral register and is primarily used in news and media contexts. While not extremely common, it effectively conveys the sense of expending effort without achieving the desired outcome. Remember to reserve its use for situations where the likelihood of success was genuinely low from the start. Consider alternatives like "attempted in vain" or "made an unsuccessful attempt" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made an unsuccessful attempt

Similar meaning, but using 'attempt' as a noun instead of part of the verb phrase.

made a vain attempt

Highlights the pride or lack of humility.

attempted in vain

Focuses on the lack of success and the wasted effort involved.

tried unsuccessfully

A more direct and simple way of saying the effort did not yield the desired result.

exerted effort in vain

Highlights the exertion and its ultimate futility.

undertook a fruitless endeavor

Emphasizes the lack of positive outcome or reward from the effort.

strove without success

Focuses on the struggle and the absence of a positive outcome.

engaged in a pointless exercise

Highlights the lack of purpose or value in the effort expended.

labored to no avail

Emphasizes the hard work involved that ultimately didn't produce results.

failed to achieve the desired outcome

A more formal and descriptive way of expressing the lack of success.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "made a futile effort" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases such as "made an unsuccessful attempt", "undertook a fruitless endeavor", or "failed to achieve the desired outcome".

Is "made a futile effort" always negative in connotation?

Yes, "made a futile effort" typically carries a negative connotation, as it implies that the attempt was unsuccessful and perhaps even pointless. However, it can also convey a sense of resilience or determination in the face of overwhelming odds.

What's the difference between "made a futile effort" and "made a valiant effort"?

"Made a futile effort" emphasizes the lack of success, while "made a valiant effort" highlights the courage and determination displayed during the attempt, regardless of the outcome. "Made a valiant effort" suggests a more admirable and praiseworthy attempt, even if it ultimately fails.

When is it appropriate to use "made a futile effort" in writing?

Use "made a futile effort" when you want to emphasize the lack of success despite the attempt made. It's appropriate when the effort expended was significant, but the outcome remained unchanged or negative. It's also useful when highlighting the inherent difficulty or impossibility of the task at hand.