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
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the vexing vainness that seemed to fill every page of his memoirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vain
Rebecca Lester, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
There have been pure hammerings inflicted by a magisterial opponent, there have been vain attempts to keep the score down, there have been have-a-go failures and defensive mishaps.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
The heavy nature of this defeat will end any title talk, but the reality check handed out by Atalanta must not be in vain.
—Adam Digby, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Knight’s family has spent thousands of dollars over the past decade and hired multiple attorneys trying to get his sentence reduced, but all in vain.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vain
Adjective
This doesn’t mean these women are vain or superficial.
—Rebecca Lester, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
There have been pure hammerings inflicted by a magisterial opponent, there have been vain attempts to keep the score down, there have been have-a-go failures and defensive mishaps.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025
The heavy nature of this defeat will end any title talk, but the reality check handed out by Atalanta must not be in vain.
—Adam Digby, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Knight’s family has spent thousands of dollars over the past decade and hired multiple attorneys trying to get his sentence reduced, but all in vain.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vain
Adjective
-
The washers contain a large haul of cocaine, which Mia and Charlie are tasked with delivering to the Chinatown hangout of smug young local Triad boss Tsui Fong (Jeremy Ang Jones) to square up a debt.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Drew continues to dutifully poke holes in Brit’s victim narrative, telling the new girl that her smug attitude following Kenya’s firing is alienating.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Another recommendation: Attacking Trump’s character, however abhorrent critics may find it, is futile.—
Garry Kasparov,
The Atlantic,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Regardless, returning him would be futile, said the president’s aides, as his ultimate fate would be imprisonment, in the United States or elsewhere.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Removing or reforming colleges with chronically poor outcomes means fewer borrowers entering repayment with no degree or worthless credentials.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Settlers who actually traveled to Florida to inspect their purchases were likely to be greeted by muddy parcels of worthless swampland overrun with snakes and mosquitoes, miles away from anything resembling civilization.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Why Digital Products Are Changing the Game Entrepreneurial creators are shifting the narrative away from vanity metrics and toward meaningful income.—
Kristen Bousquet,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Other highlights include the nine-foot-plus height for the tray ceiling, a walk-in closet with a skylight, and a primary bath that includes a soaking tub, separate large shower, dual sink vanity, and a private room for the commode.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Christine Brown's 6 Children: All About Her Son and Daughters with Sister Wives Costar and Ex Kody Brown In December 2022, Christine shared a proud mom moment with her followers on Instagram, explaining how Truely stood up to a bully at school who was bothering her friend.—
Karli Bendlin,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But the Supreme Court denied the court order and requests to President Donald Trump from family, supporters and her attorney were unsuccessful.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The officer attempted to put out the flames with his fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Streets that typically buzzed with life were empty.—
Christina Ray Stanton,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2025
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Related article Trump was warned of empty shelves and financial turmoil from tariffs and firing Powell.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Fed Up in Illinois Dear Fed Up: Is Edie mean, arrogant, disobedient and rude in the presence of her parents, or has she been invited to spend time with your girls separately?—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vain. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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