What does availing mean?
Availing is the present participle and gerund of the formal verb 'avail,' which carries two related senses. In its active sense, to avail oneself of something is to make use of an opportunity, service, or resource — as in 'she availed herself of every chance to practice.' In its older, impersonal sense, something avails when it produces a useful result or advantage, though this survives today mainly in fixed phrases such as 'to no avail' and 'of little avail.' The word derives ultimately from the Latin 'valere,' meaning 'to be strong or worthy,' the same root that gave English 'value,' 'valid,' and 'equivalent.' Because of its formal tone, 'availing' appears more often in written than spoken English, lending sentences a slightly elevated, deliberate character.
verb (present participle and gerund of 'avail')The present participle or gerund of the verb 'avail': to make use of an opportunity or resource, or to be of benefit or advantage in achieving something.
- To make use of or take advantage of an opportunity, offer, or resource (usually reflexive: 'avail oneself of').
- To be of use, benefit, or value toward accomplishing something (usually negative or interrogative: 'his efforts were of little avail').
"Availing himself of every resource the library offered, he finished his thesis ahead of schedule."
"She spent the afternoon availing herself of the hotel's spa facilities."
"He argued passionately, but it was all without availing; the committee had already decided."
When all your efforts are 'to no avail,' you're echoing a phrase whose root — Latin 'valere' — also gave us 'value' and 'valid.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of availing
Avail entered Middle English around the fifteenth century, formed from the prefix 'a-' plus 'vail,' meaning 'to be of worth,' which came through Old French from the Latin verb 'valere' ('to be strong, be worth'). This Latin root is shared with 'prevail,' 'value,' 'valid,' and 'equivalent.' The '-ing' form simply reflects standard English verbal inflection, giving both a present participle and a gerund.
Related word forms
How availing is actually used
Formal and somewhat literary in register. The reflexive construction 'avail oneself of' is the most common modern usage for the 'make use of' sense; the 'be of benefit' sense now appears almost exclusively in fixed expressions like 'to no avail' or 'of little avail.'
Easily confused with availing
'Prevailing' means being dominant or most widespread, while 'availing' means making use of something or being of benefit.