What does “vain” mean?
- 1
adjectivetoo proud of your looks, abilities or achievements
He’s so vain he checks his reflection in every window.
- 2
adjectivenot successful; producing no result
They made a vain attempt to save the business.
Vain at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /veɪn/ · VAYN
How to use “vain” correctly
“In vain” means without success: “We searched in vain.” Sounds like “vein” (blood vessel) and “vane” (as in weather vane).
Common phrases with “vain”
- in vain
- a vain attempt
- a vain hope
- vain and selfish
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- conceited
- futile
- useless
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
Word family
- vanity
- vainly
“vain” is on these word lists
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