vain

[veyn]

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.

vain

/ 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

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of vain¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of vain¹

C13: via Old French from Latin vānus

Idioms and Phrases

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.

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

Synonym Study

See useless.

Example Sentences

The twins were as bad-tempered and cruel as Veronika was vain and insincere.

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That the wood looked suspiciously like the remains of a ruler Penelope had searched for in vain just the other day was a fact she chose to ignore.

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As for Penelope, even as she jogged along, trying in vain to keep the galloping children in sight, the “do not think of elk” principle was in full force.

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Though she was far from vain, the thought of returning to her former lackluster hair was not very appealing, especially after receiving that nice compliment from Simon Harley-Dickinson.

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"It isn't really about giving the patients back what they lost, because that's not possible, but sort of almost making sure their suffering wasn't in vain, that we do learn from this," she says.

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Related Words

• frivolous 
• fruitless 
• petty 
• trivial