vain

American  

[veyn] / veɪn /

adjective

vainer, vainest

1. excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited.

   a vain dandy.

   Synonyms:

   overweening, arrogant, proud, vainglorious, self-complacent, egotistic

   Antonyms:

   humble

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.

3. ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile.

   vain hopes;

   a vain effort;

   a vain war.

   Synonyms:

   unavailing, fruitless

   Antonyms:

   useful

4. without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless.

   vain pageantry;

   vain display.

   Synonyms:

   nugatory, trifling, trivial

5. Archaic. senseless or foolish.

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idioms

1. in vain,

   1. without effect or avail; to no purpose.

      lives lost in vain;

      to apologize in vain.

   2. in an improper or irreverent manner.

      to take God's name in vain.

vain British  

/ veɪn /

adjective

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

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

3. worthless

4. senseless or futile

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noun

1. to no avail; fruitlessly

2. 1. to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence

   2. humorous to mention someone's name

vain More Idioms  

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

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Synonym Usage

See useless.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vainness
  noun
• unvain
  adjective
• vainly
  adverb
• unvainness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vain

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

Explanation

If you spend all day admiring yourself in reflective surfaces — mirrors, pools of water, the backs of spoons — people may think you are conceited, or vain. Vain is from Latin vanus, "empty," and in English it originally meant "lacking value or effect, futile," like your vain attempt to find a pencil in your messy, overstuffed backpack. Likewise, the phrase "in vain" means "without success." Vain also means "conceited, too proud of oneself." Carly Simon's line "You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you" is an excellent illustration of this use.

Example Sentences

With each stride, I squirmed deeper into the Florsheims’ tapered toes in a vain effort to spare my chafing heels.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

But it was in vain as Cerundolo won the next game on Sinner's serve to end his career Grand Slam dream for another year.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Playing a vain, pitch-perfect vision of Los Angeles’ wickedness in “Maps to the Stars,” Julianne Moore mothered so hard she almost separated California right down the San Andreas fault line.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

“To know that it may all have been in vain is heartbreaking,” Mbara said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

It did not take long to gather my “things”: my hat and an undervest that was drying after a vain attempt to get it clean in the much-used basin water.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• frivolous
• fruitless
• petty
• trivial