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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vain
And even if the door slams shut and the Rays actually do end up staying in Tampa Bay, the Dreamers’ effort wasn’t in vain.
—
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
And James Waterston emits vain insincerity as Lloyd, the play’s womanizing director with a god complex.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
After Davenport’s departure, other Dohn administrators tried in vain to clean up the 24-year-old school's financial mess and support its roughly 1,600 students, a community without many options.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Some waved flags, some rode on shoulders and, over the noise, dozens tried in vain to call back home where the sun was just rising.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for vain
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
And James Waterston emits vain insincerity as Lloyd, the play’s womanizing director with a god complex.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
After Davenport’s departure, other Dohn administrators tried in vain to clean up the 24-year-old school's financial mess and support its roughly 1,600 students, a community without many options.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Some waved flags, some rode on shoulders and, over the noise, dozens tried in vain to call back home where the sun was just rising.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for vain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vain
Adjective
-
Bertha was right, George is being a jerk, and Larry needs to wipe that smug smile off his face.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
-
And no scripture condones the smug enjoyment of it.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Attempts by deputies and paramedics to revive him were futile, and he was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Mexico later crashed out in the group stage, proving that hope is futile, but Ochoa’s class is timeless.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Greenwashing is controversial, with clubs sometimes hiding behind worthless carbon credits or offsetting emissions to make claims of climate leadership rather than seeking ways to actually reduce their emissions.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Anything less than a total social reckoning—a complete psychological makeover of white America—was worthless.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The judge relented in the face of his daughter’s determination, perhaps more than a little proud of her patriotic pluck.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
One of my proudest accomplishments has been collaborating with higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations and global employers to design talent creation initiatives that not only fill jobs but also build careers.—
Jay Garcia,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Neighbors attempted to rescue her but were unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office said.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Joe Raedle/Getty Images Loomer was unsuccessful in two separate congressional campaigns in Florida: one in 2020 and another in 2022.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Though cynics might be quick to dismiss the president’s words as empty political rhetoric, some industry leaders are applauding President Trump’s openness in publicly addressing rescheduling.—
Iris Dorbian,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The day after the crash, the FWC investigators found a stash of empty booze bottles and cans on the boat.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Depicting Americans as arrogant, loud, boorish and demeaning of other cultures, the term has stuck and is still mentioned 60-plus years later.—
Jenny Peters,
Oc Register,
4 Aug. 2025
-
The most radical overhaul of the tax code in our state’s history would require voter approval in November 2026, and that starts by portraying local governments as cartoonishly arrogant, bloated and unaccountable.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
The deals typically provide revenue for the host community while enabling the solar industry to cover essentially useless land with solar panels rather than taking out-of-service farmland, open fields or similar space.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Infrastructure is useless without operators who can manage it.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vain. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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