Have you ever been confused by the definition of vain? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word vain, including its definition, etymology, usage, examples, and more!
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
According to Merriam-Webster Unabridged English Language Dictionary and Dictionary, the adjective vain (pronounced veɪn) has two distinct definitions. The first can be used to describe someone who is excessively proud, or overly concerned about their appearance or qualities. This person is full of self-importance but may have no real value. Their personal vanity is more important to them than actually improving upon themselves or their own qualities, and their appearance comes before anything else. For example, someone might be considered vain if they spend so much time perfecting their look before a school dance that they miss out on photos and fun moments with friends.
The second definition is more often used to describe an action and can be used to describe something that is pointless or futile. For example, someone could have vain hope for a bright future, or make a vain attempt or vain effort to bring their grade up from failing to an A+. Things can be also said to be taken in vain or done in vain. The most common of these is taking God’s name or the Lord’s name in vain.
There are also many different languages that use the word vain to mean either being overly proud, or pointless or futile. These do have two different sets of translations because they have two separate meanings, though they are considered homonyms in English. Both of these translation word lists are provided by Word Sense.
Definition 1 – Overly proud, particularly about one’s appearance.
There are many different words that one can use in place of the word vain. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same meaning as another word or phrase. Since the word vain has two different definitions, this means that the word will have two different sets of synonyms. These lists of synonyms for the word vain are provided by Thesaurus.
Definition 1 – Having an inflated opinion of one’s own appearance.
stuck-up
inflated
puffed up
arrogant
self-important
big-headed
cocky
egotistical
proud
haughty
vainglorious
conceited
narcissistic
egoistic
boastful
high-and-mighty
ostentatious
pleased with oneself
swaggering
swollen-headed
egocentric
overweening
Definition 2 – Pointless or to no end.
pointless
unavailing
in vicious circle
delusory
bootless
insignificant
unimportant
petty
misleading
not a prayer
paltry
hollow
no-win
going nowhere
useless
frivolous
delusive
worthless
barren
futile
trivial
trifling
profitless
empty
shuck
puny
unproductive
void
otiose
abortive
unprofitable
slight
valueless
senseless
time-wasting
idle
sterile
fruitless
inefficacious
unnotable
nugatory
on a treadmill
Since the word vain has two different meanings, this also means that it will have two different sets of antonyms. Antonyms are words and phrases that have the opposite meaning as another word or phrase. These sets of antonyms for the word vain are also provided by Thesaurus.
Definition 1 – Overly proud of one’s own appearance.
According to Etymonline, the word vain has been used to mean devoid of value or unimportant since the year 1300. This word comes from the Old French vain or vein, which meant worthless or void. The Old french words vain and vein have been used since the 12th century. These both come from the Latinvanus meaning empty or void, which take on a figurative meaning of idle or fruitless. This comes from the Proto-Indo-European root wano which means to leave or abandon. The word vain has been used since the 1690s to describe someone who is conceited or self-important. Earlier, it was used to mean silly or foolish in the 14th century. The phrase in vain has been used since the year 1300, from the Latin in vanum. Related words include vainly, vainness, vanity, and vainglory.
Overall, the word vain is an adjective that can be used to describe someone who either has an inflated view of their own appearance or is overly proud, or it can be used to describe something that is pointless or futile. The word vain is often used in the term “in vain,” which is used to describe things that have been done to no end.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.