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Difference between Of no avail and To no avail

admin Confusing Phrases

of no avail—(predic.) useless; unsuccessful (also: of no effect):

  • All their efforts to save him from his folly were of no avail.

to no avail—(also: to no effect):

1. unsuccessfully; in vain:

  • We pulled him out of the river and tried to revive him, but to no avail.

2. = of no avail:

  • The interviewee didn’t arrive, and efforts to reach him via cell phone were to no avail.