vain

Meaning

  1. useless, ineffective, fruitless
  2. vain, shallow

Concepts

vain
futile
useless
conceited
fruitless
empty
frivolous
pointless
unavailing

abortive

sleeveless

swollen-headed

unsuccessful
idle
void
ineffective
ineffectual
lifeless
light-minded
miserable
momentary
moot
otiose
self-conceited
short-lived
sterile
swollen
transient
vacancy
vacant
wasted
worthless
frivolent
airborne
airy
alone
bootless
complacent
egotistic
egotistical
emptiness
ephemeral
fickle
fleeting
fribble
groundless
hollow
hopeless
in vain
Synonyms

inutile
A2
futile
C2
frivole
24k
infructueux
vide
B1
vaniteux
22k
abortif
vaine
21k
inconsistant
creux
C1

sans fondement

inconstant
inefficace
23k
inopérant
momentané
néant
C2
passager
C1

sans but

sans valeur

seul
A1
stérile
C2
coquet
41k
vaurien
C2
bagatelle
31k
bricole
26k
fugitif
C1
aérien
C1
oiseux
vacuité
vainement
en vain
éphémère
22k

d’air

illusoire
39k
Translations

vano
vergeblich
vão
inútil
va
vergeefs
eitel
nutteloos
inútil
ijdel
tevergeefs
fútil
vergebens
vanitoso
Frequency

C1
Pronounced as (IPA)
/vɛ̃/
Etymology

Inherited from Old French
vain
Inherited from Latin
vānus
In summary

Inherited from Old French vain, from Latin vānus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”).

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French