avail

1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈvāl 

availed; availing; avails

intransitive verb

: to be of use or advantage : serve

Our best efforts did not avail.

transitive verb

: to produce or result in as a benefit or advantage : gain

His efforts availed him nothing.

avail

2 of 2

noun

: advantage toward attainment of a goal or purpose : use

Their effort was of little/no avail.

Phrases

avail oneself of or less commonly avail of

: to make use of : to take advantage of

They availed themselves of his services.

Synonyms

Verb

• advantage
• benefit
• help
• profit
• serve

Noun

• account
• mileage
• service
• serviceability
• serviceableness
• use
• usefulness
• utility

Examples of avail in a Sentence

Verb

In such a Hobbesian world, grand idealistic designs will avail the United States nothing. Nor will a quest for American dominance in the name of the good. —Laura Secor, New York Times Book Review, 26 June 2005

Soon middle-class girls were slipping into their starched white shirtwaists, marching into a place of business … and eventually standing up as private secretaries, bank tellers, accountants, and managers. So many, in fact, availed themselves of this new opportunity that by 1900 nearly 75 percent of all clerical workers in America were women (Bliven puts the number, in 1888, at 60,000); and for decades the typist and her machine were both called "typewriters." —Arthur Krystal, Harper's, December 2002

One comes away from the book stunned by the remarkable energy and willingness to resist that so many demonstrated but haunted by the recognition of how little that resistance availed. —Louis Menand, New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2002

Our best efforts did not avail.

all your begging will not avail you in the least

Noun

It seemed to be the national dish, as it appeared on every menu. It is a spicy pork or veal stew with tomatoes and onions and a little sour cream on top. It was fabulous, and I'm dying to get the recipe. I've spent hours looking for it on the internet to no avail. —Linda Walker, Cook's Country, June 1995

In the 14th century the porcelain from China made its way westward along trade routes to Europe's rich and royal. The artisans of Europe tried to duplicate the Chinese formula and process, but to no avail. —Hattie Clark, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 1987

although I appreciate the concern, your help would be of little avail in this situation

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In the second half, a better opponent than Louisville (0-0-4) — which has never finished higher than ninth — might have availed itself of the Wave’s loose play and won the match. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

In the restaurant’s gilded ice-cream parlor, diners availed themselves of eleven flavors, along with Irish coffee and lemon ice doused in vodka. —Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, Anglo-French availler, probably from a- (from Latin ad-) + valer, valoir to be of worth, from Latin valēre — more at wield

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing avail

• avail of
• avail oneself of
• of little avail
• of no avail
• to no avail

Kids Definition

avail

1 of 2 verb

ə-ˈvā(ə)l 

: to be of use or help

avail

2 of 2 noun

: help toward reaching a goal

effort of no avail