put in vain

USAGE SUMMARY

"put in vain" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an action that was done for no reason or without achieving anything. For example: "He spent hours trying to complete the project, but all his efforts were put in vain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

And on January 30th, Thailand eased the exchange controls put in place last May in a vain effort to protect the value of its currency, the baht.More generally, investors seem inclined to believe that Asia's governments have faced up to their difficulties and are taking the painful steps needed to put them right.

The Economist

Start with the most pressing question: why did she put three vain and extreme mavericks in charge of Brexit?

The Guardian - Opinion

She also, despite a rock-hard head, fancies Daring, whom she pursues into the big set-piece showdown, dressed as a man, "fighting like a Fury by his side, he putting her back in vain; they fight out".

The Guardian

As Thoreau put it, "It is in vain to dream of a wilderness distant from ourselves".

The New York Times - Books

He tried to put out the fire in vain, first with a small fire extinguisher that failed to operate and then through trying to use two other hotel room phones that were not functioning.

Huffington Post

Now in a state of disrepair, the dance club is partly blocked by billboards that local officials put up in a vain attempt to cover up the past.

The New York Times

"Out-of-towners and New Yorkers alike were seldom as happy as when they were in Peacock Alley, either putting on a vain show or taking one in," John Tauranac wrote in "The Empire State Building" (1995).

The New York Times

With 12 seconds left in the game, as the Blackhawks pulled their goalie and tried in vain to put a goal on the board, Chara wrestled with Bryan Bickell, and Chicago's Andrew Shaw threw a punch at Boston's Brad Marchand.

The New York Times - Sports

The film's director, Bruce David Klein, portrays his subject — who was 59 during shooting — as an obsessive, self-punishing performer, striving in vain to put on a live show that matches the visions in his head.

The New York Times

Rather than struggling in vain to put itself on the map for a Manhattan audience, it is joining the campaign to make a gentrified Brooklyn the place to be.

The New York Times - Arts

The woman, identified by officials as Muzamal Khawaja, tried in vain to put the fire out, the authorities said, then fled the building, leaving her apartment door open and allowing the flames to spread.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "put in vain" to emphasize the futility of an action, especially when highlighting wasted effort or resources.

Common error

Avoid using "vainly" when you intend to convey that an action was futile. "Vainly" describes how someone does something (i.e. with excessive pride), while "in vain" describes the result (i.e. without success).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "put in vain" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating that an action was performed without achieving the desired outcome. Ludwig shows numerous examples of its usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "put in vain" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe actions that are performed without success or a positive outcome. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and provides numerous examples across various contexts, primarily in News & Media, academic writing, and encyclopedias. While it's important to avoid confusing it with "vainly", understanding its function and purpose allows for effective communication when emphasizing the futility of an action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made a futile effort

Directly describes the effort as being pointless or incapable of producing any useful result.

attempted unsuccessfully

Focuses on the unsuccessful attempt itself, rather than the futility of the effort.

tried without success

Emphasizes the lack of a positive outcome after an attempt.

exerted effort fruitlessly

Highlights the wasted effort and lack of productive results.

applied effort to no avail

Highlights that despite the application of effort, the desired outcome was not achieved.

labored ineffectually

Indicates that the work done was not effective in achieving the desired result.

strove unproductively

Focuses on the lack of a tangible product or result from the effort.

wasted effort

Implies that the effort expended could have been used more effectively elsewhere.

endeavored abortively

Suggests that the endeavor was cut short or failed to reach completion.

worked to no purpose

Stresses the lack of a meaningful goal or outcome for the work done.

FAQs

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

You can use "put in vain" to describe efforts that did not achieve the intended result. For example, "They tried to save the company, but all their efforts were put in vain".

What does "in vain" mean?

"In vain" means without success or result; fruitlessly.

What are some alternatives to "put in vain"?

Some alternatives to "put in vain" include "attempted unsuccessfully", "tried without success", or "made a futile effort".

Is it correct to say "put in vain"?

Yes, "put in vain" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe efforts that were unsuccessful.