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View synonyms for

vain

[ veyn ]

adjective

vainer, vainest.
  1. excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited:

    a vain dandy.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,

    Antonyms:

  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: ,

    Antonyms:

  4. without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless:

    vain pageantry;

    vain display.

    Synonyms: , ,

  5. Archaic. senseless or foolish.


vain

/ ɪ /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. in vain
    to no avail; fruitlessly
  2. take someone's name in vain
    1. to use the name of someone, esp God, without due respect or reverence
    2. to mention someone's name
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԲԱ, noun
  • ˈԱ, adverb
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Other yvlogs From

  • · adverb
  • ·Ա noun
  • ܲ·· adjective
  • un··Ա noun
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of vain1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin Գܲ “empty, vain”
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of vain1

C13: via Old French from Latin Գܲ
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Idioms and Phrases

  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.

More idioms and phrases containing vain

see in vain ; take someone's name in vain .
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Synonym Study

See useless.
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Example Sentences

Many companies have tried in vain to rebuild Napster for modern music tech, including retail outlet Best Buy and streamer Rhapsody.

From

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.

From

And Putin has already stretched his resources to the limit in a vain attempt to increase his resources by conquering Ukraine.

From

In vain, his lawyers and family members protested that the arrest had no legal basis and complained that Duterte's frail health was being neglected.

From

They attempted in vain to exorcise the spirits.

From

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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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