# vain

/ˈveɪn/ (US) · /vˈeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vain
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. useless or futile

adjective · CEFR B2

not producing the result you want; useless.

For teachers: producing no result; useless or lacking in substance or worth.

- The doctors made a vain attempt to save the damaged building after the fire.
- Despite their exhaustive efforts to negotiate a peace treaty, it proved to be a vain hope as fighting resumed within forty-eight hours.

Usage: Commonly found in the phrase 'in vain', meaning without success.

## Examples

- He is so vain that he looks in every mirror he passes.
- The actor was too vain to accept a role that required him to look old or unattractive on screen.
- Her obsession with social media metrics revealed a vain streak that eventually alienated her from friends who valued authenticity over curated appearances.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.