vainadjective
uk/veɪn/us/veɪn/vain adjective (NOT SUCCESSFUL)
C2 unsuccessful; of no value:
The doctors gave him more powerful drugs in the vain hope that he might recover.
formal It was vain to pretend to himself that he was not disappointed.
in vain
C1 unsuccessfully:
I tried in vain to start a conversation.
All the police's efforts to find him were in vain.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Useless and futile
- a mug's game idiom
- adrift
- aimless
- airy-fairy
- be at a loose end idiom
- flaccid
- fool's errand
- for the hell of it idiom
- frivolous
- fruitless
- moon around
- motiveless
- negate
- no good idiom
- nugatory
- unwieldy
- use
- useless
- vainly
- what good is ... idiom
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Unsuccessful (people and things)
vain adjective (SELFISH)
C2 too interested in your own appearance or achievements:
He was very vain about his hair and his clothes.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Showing arrogance and conceit
- (as) proud as Lucifer idiom
- a cut above idiom
- airs and graces idiom
- arrogant
- as if you owned the place idiom
- brash
- cocksure
- egocentric
- egoistic
- egotistic
- get on your high horse idiom
- haughty
- overbearing
- preen
- proudly
- put on the dog idiom
- revolve
- revolve around sb/sth
- self-appointed
- snotty
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