Synonyms for vain
veɪnvain

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vainadjective

   overly proud of oneself, especially when concerning appearance

   Synonyms:
   fruitless, futile, pointless, ineffectual

2. vainadjective

   having very little substance

   Synonyms:
   ineffectual, pointless, fruitless, futile

3. vainadjective

   effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.

   Synonyms:
   fruitless, ineffectual, futile, pointless

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

1. vain

   Vain (Latin vanus, empty) keeps the etymological idea through all changes of meaning; a vain endeavor is empty of result, or of adequate power to produce a result, a vain pretension is empty or destitute of support, a vain person has a conceit that is empty or destitute of adequate cause or reason. That which is bootless, fruitless, or profitless fails to accomplish any valuable result; that which is abortive, ineffectual, or unavailing fails to accomplish a result that it was, or was supposed to be, adapted to accomplish. That which is useless, futile, or vain is inherently incapable of accomplishing a specified result. Useless, in the widest sense, signifies not of use for any valuable purpose, and is thus closely similar to valueless and worthless. Fruitless is more final than ineffectual, as applying to the sum or harvest of endeavor. That which is useless lacks actual fitness for a purpose; that which is vain lacks imaginable fitness. Compare VACANT; OSTENTATION; PRIDE.

   Compare synonyms for UTILITY.

   Synonyms:
   abortive, baseless, bootless, deceitful, delusive, empty, fruitless, futile, idle, inconstant, ineffectual, nugatory, null, profitless, shadowy, trifling, trivial, unavailing, unimportant, unprofitable, unreal, unsatisfying, unserviceable, unsubstantial, useless, vapid, visionary, worthless

   Antonyms:
   adequate, advantageous, beneficial, competent, effective, efficient, expedient, potent, powerful, profitable, real, serviceable, solid, sound, substantial, sufficient, useful, valid, valuable, worthy

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. vain

   Synonyms:
   empty, worthless, fruitless, unsatisfying, unavailing, idle, ineffectual, egotistic, showy, unreal, conceited, arrogant

   Antonyms:
   solid, substantial, sound, worthy, efficient, effectual, cogent, potent, unconceited, modest, real

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. conceited, egotistic, egotistical, self-conceited, swollen, swollen-headed, vainadjective

   characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

   "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of self-conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes"

   Synonyms:
   bootless, narcissistic, fruitless, swollen, self-loving, egotistic, swollen-headed, conceited, futile, sleeveless, egotistical, self-conceited

   Antonyms:
   humble, productive

2. bootless, fruitless, futile, sleeveless, vainadjective

   unproductive of success

   "a fruitless search"; "futile years after her artistic peak"; "a sleeveless errand"; "a vain attempt"

   Synonyms:
   unavailing, otiose, self-conceited, fruitless, egotistic, conceited, swollen-headed, futile, swollen, bootless, ineffectual, egotistical, sleeveless

   Antonyms:
   productive, humble

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   unreal, shadowy, unsubstantial, supposititious, dreamy, baseless, imaginary, empty, void

2. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   unavailing, useless, bootless, ineffectual, fruitless, profitless, futile, nugatory, abortive, unprofitable, without avail, idle, to no purpose, to no end

3. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   worthless, unsatisfying, unsatisfactory, vapid, tasteless, insipid, flat, stale, mawkish

4. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   conceited, vain-glorious, inflated, overweening, ostentatious, high, self-sufficient, flushed, opinionated, self-satisfied, self-confident, self-admiring, self-opinioned, self-flattering, high-flown, puffed up, wise in one's own conceit

5. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   boastful, vaunting

6. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   rodomontade, empty boasting

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. vainadjective

   Synonyms:
   conceited, arrogant, egotistical, overweening, vainglorious, nugatory, fruitless, ineffectual, frustrate, unavailing, bootless, futile, abortive, ineffective, empty, delusive, chimerical, unsatisfying, unsubstantial, deceitful

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "vain":

   futile, conceited, fruitless, pointless, useless, unsuccessful, only, marl, unnecessary

Concise Medical Dictionary, by Joseph C Segen, MDRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. VAIN

   Synonyms:
   Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia

2. VAIN

   Synonyms:
   Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia

Suggested Resources

1. vain

   Song lyrics by vain -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by vain on the Lyrics.com website.

2. VAIN

   What does VAIN stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the VAIN acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce vain?

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use vain in a sentence?

1. Lopez Obrador:

   This is not in vain, we are going to end corruption.

2. Kurt Vonnegut:

   One of the few good things about modern times If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us.

3. Kurt Vonnegut, "Cold Turkey", In These Times, May 10, 2004:

   One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us.

4. Marcus Aurelius:

   All our efforts must be directed towards an end, or we will act in vain. If it is not the right end, we will fail utterly.

5. John Kasich:

   My parents were killed by drunk driver, but my parents did not die in vain, i was transformed. I discovered my purpose by discovering the Lord.