try in vain

She tried in vain to put them out of her mind.

For a long while they tried in vain to lay hands on them.

He doesn't like the rule and tried in vain to have it changed.

Her voice was beginning to rise and she tried in vain to control it.

They tried in vain to rob him on the same day.

John Ross stood where he was a moment longer, looking at the old man, trying in vain to think of something else to say.

Police of a dozen countries had tried in vain to catch him.

After the third she stared straight ahead and tried in vain not to hear.

The artillery of the city tried in vain to stop it.

He went to the oak door, and tried in vain to open it.

She tried in vain to remove her photo from the Internet and the media.

Public health officials tried in vain to contain its spread.

They had the look of men who tried in vain to stand against an avalanche.

Never mind that a priest from his school tried in vain to speak with the police.

She would sleep all the way to Germany, trying in vain not to dream.

The monk tried in vain to pull free, making no answer.

The father tries in vain to make everyone understand that they should live for themselves within their standards.

After my folks tried in vain for a few months to sell the car, they asked if we wanted it.

It was sick and lying on its side, trying in vain to right itself.

Since then they had tried in vain to duplicate it.

For nearly 30 years, researchers had tried in vain to make crystals.

I tried in vain to pick up objects from the bureau.

The women tried in vain to bring their wandering thoughts together.

The patriarch tried in vain to bring them to reason.