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vain

adjective
\ ˈvān How to pronounce vain (audio) \

Definition of vain

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
in vain
1 : to no end : without success or result her efforts were in vain
2 : in an irreverent or blasphemous manner you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain — Deuteronomy 5:11 (Revised Standard Version)
Other Words from vain Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about vain

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Other Words from vain

vainly adverb
vainness \ ˈvān-​nəs How to pronounce vainness (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for vain

futile, vain, fruitless mean producing no result. futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertaking. resistance had proved so futile that surrender was the only choice left vain usually implies simple failure to achieve a desired result. a vain attempt to get the car started fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment. fruitless efforts to obtain a lasting peace

Examples of vain in a Sentence

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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 More broadly, the movement is trying to show that being an internet creator is not merely a vain pursuit of fame, but an actual job that requires a lot of work—which should come with workers’ rights. — Michelle Cheng, Quartz at Work, "Union pushes at places like YouTube and WeWork could transform white-collar work," 1 Sep. 2019 The vainest city honor belonged to the Big Apple where New Yorkers spend an average of 38 minutes dolling up. — Johnny Diaz, sun-sentinel.com, "You’re so vain South Florida, report says," 29 Aug. 2019 Administration officials continue to look in vain for signs that Beijing will agree to rewrite Chinese laws governing core issues in the trade dispute, Pillsbury said. — Damian Paletta, Washington Post, "Trump insists trade talks have restarted with China, but details are elusive," 26 Aug. 2019 In vain American participants at the forum noted that Western scholars in China have endured harsh visa restrictions for years. — The Economist, "Few things worry China’s elite more than getting their kids into Harvard," 11 July 2019 There are also two new villain species that make their debut in the game, the slimy flesh-eating Hydrorks and vain zombies known as Zylisters. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, "What it’s like to play the new ‘Doctor Who’ virtual reality game," 18 July 2019 Anthony Michael Harvey delights with a bright performance as the vain juvenile lead, Billy Lawlor. — nola.com, "Summer Lyric presents tap-happy love song to Broadway with ‘42nd Street’," 19 June 2019 Like so many women, I was plagued by a vain and longstanding paranoia about what people might think of me. — Jessica Berger Gross, Longreads, "Gone Gray," 10 July 2018 This is the most vain piece of graceless showing off. — A.a. Gill, A-LIST, "Fraught, But It Counts," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of vain

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

History and Etymology for vain

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

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More Definitions for vain

vain

adjective
How to pronounce vain (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of vain

: too proud of your own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc.
: having no success : not producing a desired result

See the full definition for vain in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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