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

• vainness noun
• vainly adverb
• 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

Trier expresses it more bluntly: “She won’t,” he predicts, “become one of those vain actors who play it safe.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Van Veen's hard work looked to be in vain as he missed five match darts, but Humphries was equally wasteful and fell to a fourth consecutive loss to the Dutchman.

Read more on BBC

"Unless lessons are learned, and fundamental change is implemented in Northern Ireland, the human and financial cost and sacrifice of the Covid-19 pandemic will have been in vain."

Read more on BBC

"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.

Read more on BBC

Strong cases languished in bureaucratic limbo while families of applicants pleaded in vain.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• frivolous 
• fruitless 
• petty 
• trivial