vain

American  

[veyn] / veɪn /

adjective

vainer, comparative vainest superlative

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

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

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• vainer
  comparative
• vainest
  superlative

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

Woody can be bossy and controlling, jealous and vain.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

Speaking of trillion-dollar leprechauns, you will hunt through all 545 pages in vain for those big “DOGE” savings you were promised.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

But such hopes appear increasingly vain with Pyongyang remaining unreceptive to the overtures of South Korea's centre-left president, Lee Jae Myung.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

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

Some parents tried in vain to discourage their children from joining.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• frivolous
• fruitless
• petty
• trivial