English edit

Etymology edit

From unavailing +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

unavailingly (comparative more unavailingly, superlative most unavailingly)

  1. In an unavailing manner; without successful results; to no avail.
    • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 104:
      The Shepperton guns spoke this time unavailingly.
    • 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 281:
      With her own dried tongue, she bent to moisten into relaxation its indrawn blue lips, and breathing on the clenched, congested hands, tried as unavailingly to lessen their terrible tension.
    • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 208:
      diplomatic efforts to secure his release continued through the good offices of the Turks and others, albeit unavailingly.

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