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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Related Words

See useless.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of vain

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

Example Sentences

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

From 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.

From 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."

From 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.

From BBC

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

From Salon

Related Words

• frivolous
• fruitless
• petty
• trivial