fruitless search

So began a long, fruitless search for an outside engineer.

She spent the next three hours in a fruitless search through the Stacks.

At first it was a fruitless search, for the Plain seemed empty.

The second movement is a completely fruitless search that ends by giving in.

An hour later, after a fruitless search of Paul's office, they left for the bank.

They quickly fanned out and did a fruitless search of the ground floor.

The result is an annual, fruitless search for a new approach they all can live with.

"When we had no hard evidence, why did you join me in what could have been a fruitless search?"

And here he was, most of a beautiful spring Saturday shot in a fruitless search for two library books, no further ahead.

Boyd is ready to give up his fruitless search for gold.