vain

[ veyn ]
See synonyms for: vainvainlyvainness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,vain·er, vain·est.
  1. excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.

  2. proceeding from or showing pride in or concern about one's appearance, qualities, etc.; resulting from or displaying vanity: He made some vain remarks about his accomplishments.

  1. ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: vain hopes;a vain effort;a vain war.

  2. without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry;vain display.

  3. Archaic. senseless or foolish.

Idioms about vain

  1. in vain,

    • without effect or avail; to no purpose: lives lost in vain;to apologize in vain.

    • in an improper or irreverent manner: to take God's name in vain.

Origin of vain

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vānus “empty, vain”

synonym study For vain

4. See useless.

Other words for vain

Opposites for vain

Other words from vain

  • vain·ly, adverb
  • vain·ness, noun
  • un·vain·, adjective
  • un·vain·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with vain

Words Nearby vain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use vain in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vain

vain

/ (veɪn) /


adjective
  1. inordinately proud of one's appearance, possessions, or achievements

  2. given to ostentatious display, esp of one's beauty

  1. worthless

  2. senseless or futile

noun
  1. in vain to no avail; fruitlessly

  2. take someone's name in vain

    • to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence

    • jocular to mention someone's name

Origin of vain

1
C13: via Old French from Latin vānus

Derived forms of vain

  • vainly, adverb
  • vainness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with vain

vain

see in vain; take someone's name in vain.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.