How to Use in vain in a Sentence

in vain

phrase

• For hours every day, the husky, howling piteously, would try in vain to leap the walls of his prison.
  — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
• Dehydration can happen quickly as sweating continues in vain.
  — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
• Filipino fans formed unmoving lines, hoping in vain to squeeze into the ludicrously limited capacity of Court 6 just to catch a glimpse of her main draw debut.
  — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
• The opposition’s dilemma is exemplified by one of its most prominent leaders, Nobel Peace laureate María Corina Machado, who has tried in vain to enter Venezuela since the earthquakes.
  — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
• Jude Bellingham’s two goals on Saturday in England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal matchup against Norway were certainly not in vain.
  — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
• The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Balochistan's capital, Quetta, and told the families of 42 people killed in the attacks that their sacrifices were not in vain and those responsible would be brought to justice.
  — ABC News, 10 July 2026