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vain
[ veyn ]
adjective
- excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited:
a vain dandy.
Synonyms: , , , , ,
Antonyms:
- 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.
- ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile:
vain hopes;
a vain effort;
a vain war.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms:
- without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless:
vain pageantry;
vain display.
Synonyms: , ,
- Archaic. senseless or foolish.
vain
/ ɪ /
adjective
- inordinately proud of one's appearance, possessions, or achievements
- given to ostentatious display, esp of one's beauty
- worthless
- senseless or futile
noun
- in vainto no avail; fruitlessly
- take someone's name in vain
- to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence
- to mention someone's name
Derived Forms
- ˈԲԱ, noun
- ˈԱ, adverb
Other Word Forms
- · adverb
- ·Ա noun
- ܲ·· adjective
- un··Ա noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of vain1
Word History and Origins
Origin of vain1
Idioms and Phrases
- in vain,
- without effect or avail; to no purpose:
lives lost in vain;
to apologize in vain.
- in an improper or irreverent manner:
to take God's name in vain.
More idioms and phrases containing vain
see in vain ; take someone's name in vain .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
“A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain,” the obituary said.
However, their efforts are often in vain, in part because of the underappreciated aspects of our laws and policies that make it almost impossible for the working poor to save.
He replied that he and his people had been waiting only 50 years; you Christians, on the other hand, had been waiting in vain for thousands.
Many companies have tried in vain to rebuild Napster for modern music tech, including retail outlet Best Buy and streamer Rhapsody.
The crowd attempted to rouse McCann with a succession of "Molly" chants, but it was in vain as the Brazilian outworked her on the floor before securing a rear naked choke.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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