quit in vain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quit in vain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express the idea of giving up or stopping an effort without achieving the desired result or without any purpose. Example: "After months of trying to fix the issue, I decided to quit in vain, realizing that it was beyond my control."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Such drugs may be useful for very large groups of addicted smokers who have tried the other ways to quit in vain.

Diabetes Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Mr. Rosen quit in 1998.

The New York Times

Thiel quit in May.

Forbes

She quit in 2002.

Forbes

He quit in May.

Forbes

She claims to have quit her job after complaining in vain about the harassment to a senior colleague.

Science Magazine

They were just 25 and 26 when they quit their day jobs and NBC -- but certainly not in vain.

Huffington Post

That is why I decided to quit.(Informant 10, man) Other men described how they struggled to sell the idea of the trial to their families, but all efforts ended in vain.

Plosone

But in vain.

The New York Times

Parker chased in vain.

Independent

It was in vain.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using stronger verbs or adverbs to enhance the emotional impact of the phrase, such as "despairingly quit in vain" or "futilely quit in vain".

Common error

Avoid using "quit in vain" when simply stating that someone quit. The phrase implies a deeper sense of wasted effort or a lack of positive result after quitting. If the effort wasn't fruitless, a simple "quit" is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quit in vain" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb, typically to indicate the manner or result of quitting. It suggests that the act of quitting was preceded by effort that ultimately proved futile. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "quit in vain" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to describe the act of giving up after effort has been expended, but without achieving the intended result. Ludwig confirms this. Its meaning centers on the futility of the prior efforts. While its usage is relatively rare, appearing mainly in News & Media and Scientific contexts, according to the few examples provided, it effectively communicates a sense of disappointment and wasted effort. Consider alternatives like "give up fruitlessly" or "abandon without success" to express similar ideas. When employing this phrase, be mindful to clearly indicate the prior effort and the lack of meaningful outcome, and make sure the context implies a deeper sense of wasted effort.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

give up fruitlessly

Emphasizes the lack of positive outcome from giving up.

abandon without success

Highlights the failure to achieve a goal after quitting.

relinquish unsuccessfully

Focuses on the unsuccessful nature of relinquishing something.

stop for nothing

Implies that the reason for stopping was worthless or insignificant.

cease to no avail

Highlights that ceasing an action didn't produce a desired result.

discontinue pointlessly

Underscores the lack of purpose or reason in discontinuing.

resign without achieving anything

Emphasizes the absence of accomplishment after resigning.

bow out in futility

Focuses on the futility and ineffectiveness of bowing out.

withdraw ineffectually

Highlights the lack of impact or effect of withdrawing.

quit to no purpose

Implies that the act of quitting served no meaningful objective.

FAQs

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

You can use "quit in vain" to describe a situation where someone gives up on something, but their effort was ultimately pointless or didn't achieve the desired result. For example, "Despite his best efforts, he realized he had to "quit in vain", as the project was doomed from the start".

What does "quit in vain" mean?

"Quit in vain" means to give up on something after putting in effort that ultimately leads to no meaningful result or positive outcome. It suggests a sense of wasted effort or futility.

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

You can use alternatives like "give up fruitlessly", "abandon without success", or "stop for nothing" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "quit in vain" or "quit unsuccessfully"?

Both "quit in vain" and "quit unsuccessfully" are grammatically correct, but "quit in vain" carries a stronger sense of futility and wasted effort. "Quit unsuccessfully" simply implies a lack of success in quitting, whereas "quit in vain" emphasizes the pointlessness of the preceding effort.