Meaning of "vain" in English

In English, "vain" is an adjective referring to someone who is excessively proud of their appearance, abilities, or achievements—essentially someone who is conceited or self-absorbed. It can also describe efforts or attempts that are unsuccessful or fruitless, indicating a lack of results despite one's best endeavors. The term often carries a negative connotation, suggesting both vanity and futility. For instance, "She made a vain attempt to win the race" implies an effort that did not lead to success.

Meaning of "vain" in French

In French, the word "vain" (adjective) can describe someone who is proud or conceited, akin to the English meaning. Additionally, it signifies something that is futile or fruitless, often used to describe efforts that yield no results. The French use "vain" to describe actions or attempts that fail to accomplish the desired outcome. It carries implications of uselessness and can be a critique of someone's overestimation of their importance or capabilities.

Pronunciation of "vain" in English

Phonetic Transcription: /veɪn/

Pronunciation Variations: In English, "vain" generally has a consistent pronunciation across different dialects. However, slight variations in the /eɪ/ sound may occur depending on regional accents, such as in British or American English, where the vowel might be slightly different.

Pronunciation of "vain" in French

Phonetic Transcription: /vɛ̃/

Pronunciation Variations: In French, "vain" is pronounced with a nasalized vowel, typical of the language. Regional accents might have subtle differences in the nasal quality, but generally, the pronunciation remains fairly uniform across France and other French-speaking regions.

Sentence examples in English and translation to French

  1. She was too vain to admit she was wrong. (Elle était trop vaniteuse pour admettre qu'elle avait tort.)

  2. His vain attempt to fix the car was frustrating. (Sa vaine tentative de réparer la voiture était frustrante.)

  3. The athlete's vain boast was proven false. (La vaniteuse vantardise de l'athlète s'est révélée fausse.)

  4. Her vain hopes were dashed by the news. (Ses vains espoirs ont été anéantis par la nouvelle.)

  5. They made a vain effort to reach the summit. (Ils ont fait un effort vain pour atteindre le sommet.)

  6. He spent hours in front of the mirror, too vain to leave. (Il a passé des heures devant le miroir, trop vaniteux pour partir.)

  7. The prince's vain nature made him unpopular. (La nature vaniteuse du prince le rendait impopulaire.)

  8. His vain words did little to comfort her. (Ses mots vains n'ont guère réussi à la réconforter.)

  9. She embarked on a vain search for the lost ring. (Elle s'est lancée dans une recherche vaine pour trouver la bague perdue.)

  10. The politician's vain promises were quickly forgotten. (Les promesses vaines du politicien ont été rapidement oubliées.)

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "vain" in English

Synonyms: conceited, futile, arrogant, egotistic, narcissistic, self-absorbed, unproductive, unsuccessful, fruitless, ineffective.

Antonyms: modest, humble, effective, successful, productive, fruitful, self-effacing, unassuming, efficient.

Similar Words: proud, boastful, hollow, empty, worthless, superficial, pointless, trivial, idle, unavailing.

Synonyms, antonyms, and similar words for "vain" in French

Synonyms: vaniteux, futile, arrogant, orgueilleux, narcissique, prétentieux, infructueux, inefficace, stérile, oiseux.

Antonyms: modeste, humble, efficace, réussi, productif, fructueux, effacé, simple, modéré.

Similar Words: fier, vantard, vide, insignifiant, superficiel, inutile, dérisoire, vain, creux, superflu.

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