vain
adjective
ˈvān 
1
: having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : conceited
2
: marked by futility or ineffectualness : unsuccessful, useless
vain efforts to escape
3
: having no real value : idle, worthless
vain pretensions
4
archaic : foolish, silly
vainly adverb
vainness
ˈvān-nəs
noun Phrases
in vain 1
: to no end : without success or result
her efforts were in vain
2
: in an irreverent or blasphemous manner
Being a religion writer, I have always tried to avoid using the Lord's name in vain. I have not always succeeded.
Don Lattin
see also take in vain Don Lattin
Synonyms
- assured
- biggety [Southern & Midland]
- biggity
- bigheaded
- complacent
- conceited
- consequential
- egoistic
- egoistical
- egotistic
- egotistical
- important
- overweening
- pompous
- prideful
- proud
- self-conceited
- self-important
- self-opinionated
- self-satisfied
- smug
- stuck-up
- swellheaded
- vainglorious
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
For a half a century, scholars have searched in vain for the source of the jade that the early civilizations of the Americas prized above all else and fashioned into precious objects of worship, trade and adornment. William J. Broad, New York Times, 22 May 2002 … the miseries of people's lives ought not to be exploited ad libitum in the furtherance of our profits or our careers, and in the vain conviction that we understand everything. Richard Taruskin, New Republic, 24 Dec. 2001 It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847 Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813 Where words are scarce, they are seldom spent in vain … William Shakespeare, King Richard the Second, 1596 She is very vain about her appearance. He is the vainest man I know. A vain effort to quell the public's fears only made matters worse. Volunteers searched the area in the vain hope of finding clues. See More
William J. Broad, New York Times, 22 May 2002 … the miseries of people's lives ought not to be exploited ad libitum in the furtherance of our profits or our careers, and in the vain conviction that we understand everything. Richard Taruskin, New Republic, 24 Dec. 2001 It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847 Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813 Where words are scarce, they are seldom spent in vain … William Shakespeare, King Richard the Second, 1596 She is very vain about her appearance. He is the vainest man I know. A vain effort to quell the public's fears only made matters worse. Volunteers searched the area in the vain hope of finding clues. See More Recent Examples on the Web The series stars Spider-Man franchise actor Jacob Batalon and is set in a world populated by beautiful, fit and vain vampires. Clark Collis, EW.com, 14 July 2022 Still, Johnson keeps it entertaining as a wine-loving 19th-century Englishwoman reunited with the one who got away – a vulnerable Navy captain played by the impressive Cosmo Jarvis – while also being wooed by a vain yet handsome gentleman (Golding). Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 July 2022 Julia is spiky and vain, a queen bee with an attitude. Natalia Winkelman, BostonGlobe.com, 29 June 2022 My characters are like anthropomorphic animals, typical of fairy tales, but their behavior is very human, very violent, cruel and vain. Holly Jones, Variety, 13 June 2022 Cosmetic surgery, nowadays more commonly associated with elective procedures for the wealthy and vain, in fact evolved under the most brutal conditions and with the noblest of aims. Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2022 Even in the world of the undead, however, Reginald is an outsider, being the only full-figured blood sucker in a world of beautiful, fit and incredibly vain vamps. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022 Tom Steward plays headmaster Bill as disconnected and vain, lecturing his son on his professed EDI beliefs without any seeming conviction behind it. San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2022 Historically, cosmetic treatments and enhancements have been seen as procedures reserved for the white, affluent, and vain, but that is quickly changing. Ruth Samuel, Allure, 21 July 2021 See More
Clark Collis, EW.com, 14 July 2022 Still, Johnson keeps it entertaining as a wine-loving 19th-century Englishwoman reunited with the one who got away – a vulnerable Navy captain played by the impressive Cosmo Jarvis – while also being wooed by a vain yet handsome gentleman (Golding). Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 July 2022 Julia is spiky and vain, a queen bee with an attitude. Natalia Winkelman, BostonGlobe.com, 29 June 2022 My characters are like anthropomorphic animals, typical of fairy tales, but their behavior is very human, very violent, cruel and vain. Holly Jones, Variety, 13 June 2022 Cosmetic surgery, nowadays more commonly associated with elective procedures for the wealthy and vain, in fact evolved under the most brutal conditions and with the noblest of aims. Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2022 Even in the world of the undead, however, Reginald is an outsider, being the only full-figured blood sucker in a world of beautiful, fit and incredibly vain vamps. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022 Tom Steward plays headmaster Bill as disconnected and vain, lecturing his son on his professed EDI beliefs without any seeming conviction behind it. San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2022 Historically, cosmetic treatments and enhancements have been seen as procedures reserved for the white, affluent, and vain, but that is quickly changing. Ruth Samuel, Allure, 21 July 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English veyn "empty, futile, groundless, foolish, excessively proud," borrowed from Anglo-French vain, vein, going back to Latin vānus "lacking content, empty, illusory, marked by foolish or empty pride" — more at wane entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Phrases Containing vain
Kids Definition
vain
adjective
ˈvān
vainer; vainest
1
: having no success
He made a vain effort to escape.
2
: having or showing the attitude of a person who thinks too highly of his or her looks or abilities
in vain
phrase
as in futile
producing no results They did their best to fix the engine but their efforts were in vain. Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- futile
- unsuccessful
- useless
- vain
- empty
- no dice
- abortive
- ineffective
- fruitless
- impossible
- unavailing
- insufficient
- unproductive
- ineffectual
- unprofitable
- barren
- not worth the candle
- worthless
- inadequate
- of no avail
- profitless
- inefficacious
- meaningless
- bootless
- hopeless
- pointless
- valueless
- otiose
- lacking
- hollow
- idle
- unattainable
- lost
- counterproductive
- no-win
- wanting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- successful
- effective
- efficient
- productive
- profitable
- deadly
- sufficient
- fruitful
- meaningful
- adequate
- virtuous
- potent
- worthwhile
- efficacious
- practical
- effectual
- feasible
- applicable
- functional
- usable
- workable
- practicable
- useable
- realizable