vainness


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia.

vain

 (vān)
adj. vain·er, vain·est
1. Not yielding the desired outcome; fruitless: a vain attempt.
2. Lacking substance or worth: vain talk.
3. Having or showing excessive pride in one's appearance or accomplishments; conceited.
4. Archaic Foolish.
Idiom:
in vain
1. To no avail; without success: Our labor was in vain.
2. In an irreverent or disrespectful manner: took the Lord's name in vain.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vānus, empty; see euə- in Indo-European roots.]
vain′ly adv.
vain′ness n.
Synonyms: vain, empty, hollow, idle, otiose
These adjectives mean lacking value or substance: vain regrets; empty pleasures; hollow threats; idle dreams; otiose theoretical discussions. See Also Synonyms at futile.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

vainness

noun
1. The condition or quality of being useless or ineffective:
bootlessness, fruitlessness, futility, unavailingness, unprofitableness, uselessness, vanity.
2. A regarding of oneself with undue favor:
amour-propre, conceit, ego, egoism, egotism, narcissism, pride, vainglory, vanity.
Slang: ego trip.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Mentioned in ?
References in periodicals archive ?
In Cooley's (2013) creative work, it is suggested that the story was meant "to teach girls to avoid their vainness, to cover up on sleigh rides at night." The unclothed Frozen Charlotte dolls enabled young women to learn about the virtues of modesty by learning to sew and produce garments for their dolls.
Frozen Charlotte Dolls Used in Toy Cradles From The Plains & Plateau
(Bachman) Via both narrative and stylistic options, Allen's most recent films addresses his typical notions and symbolic representations, being mannered assessments of the filmmaking process, implying both the vainness of recollecting and the unfeasibility of not doing that.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FABRIC OF ETHICAL SUBJECTIVITY IN WOODY ALLEN'S FILMS
I guess even the little furry one's vainness has to be indulged.
'Joke only'

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?