vain

adjective

ˈvān How to pronounce vain (audio)
Definition of vainnext
1
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself a man so vain that he spent hours admiring himself in the mirror

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in futile
producing no results all their efforts to escape proved vain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in worthless
having no usefulness having tired of the vain pleasures of life in the fast lane, he returned to the small town he had grown up in

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vain distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of vain are empty, hollow, idle, nugatory, and otiose. While all these words mean "being without worth or significance," vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value.

vain promises

How are the words empty and hollow related as synonyms of vain?

Both empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness.

an empty attempt at reconciliation
a hollow victory

When is it sensible to use idle instead of vain?

The synonyms idle and vain are sometimes interchangeable, but idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect.

idle speculations

When would nugatory be a good substitute for vain?

In some situations, the words nugatory and vain are roughly equivalent. However, nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance.

a monarch with nugatory powers

In what contexts can otiose take the place of vain?

The words otiose and vain can be used in similar contexts, but otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity.

a film without a single otiose scene

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vain Michael Scott was such a massive personality, so over-the-top and socially awkward and vain, that much of the story revolved around his myriad social faux pas and unforced errors. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Esmerelda in particular is one-note, nothing but a vain narcissist obsessed with toppling Ned. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Today's deliveries are the most concrete proof that our struggle has not been in vain. —Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025 If history is any guide, many innocent people will suffer before the incompetent grovelers and the vain objects of their groveling meet their inevitable fates. —Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vain
  1. smug
  2. futile
  3. worthless
  4. proud
  5. unsuccessful
  6. empty
  7. arrogant
  8. useless
Adjective
  • Colum’s smug assurance that the wedding will happen soon is rocked when Ned shows up with news of the Grants’ suspicions about the raid.
    — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Howard sells his smug malice, digging into Matt in a way no one has before until the whole thing devolves into a physical fight.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of smug
Adjective
  • And, perhaps most dangerous still, these dreams of modernity shine an unwanted light on the futile hardship of the family’s status quo.
    — Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This alternating strategy is futile.
    — Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of futile
Adjective
  • The energy department said wind and solar capacity is 'worthless' without sunlight or wind.
    — Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Overnight, many of those owners saw their wealth erased — their principal assets rendered worthless.
    — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of worthless
Adjective
  • As Cantillo dissected his outing, Hedges peered over at him, beaming like a proud father.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
  • But the proud Eugene will not hear of it.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of proud
Adjective
  • The new complaint was filed 20 years after Burrowes first claimed in an unsuccessful civil case that Combs may have put out a hit on Shakur and Knight.
    — Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
  • All have been unsuccessful due to his status as a suspect in multiple violent crimes.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • Erik Thommy could not get to the rebound in time to take advantage of an empty net, and his shot was blocked by a defender out for a corner kick.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
  • What To Know On the night of August 22, Zarutska boarded a Lynx Blue Line train and sat in an empty two-person seat.
    — Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of empty
Adjective
  • These early years emphasized goofiness, offensiveness, and mocking arrogant celebrities who pushed their platforms at award shows.
    — Chris Yogerst, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
  • The announcement was made during a backstage segment involving NXT General Manager Ava and the arrogant superstar Lexis King.
    — Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • Digital fingerprinting collates an array of data from your phone — your IP address, device model and OS, time zone, setup and anything else if can get — to create a unique identifier in aggregate, even if each individual data snippet us useless on its own.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Never mind that large language models have so far proven useless at 95% of the companies that have made their workforces try to use them, researchers from MIT recently found.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of useless

Phrases Containing vain

Browse Nearby Words

vagueness
vain
vainglorious
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Cite this Entry

“Vain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vain. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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