vain

Think of a peacock, full of feathers and showing off. That image fits vain well. Most often, it describes someone who is too proud of their looks, abilities, or things they own, and who wants other people to notice and admire them. In a story, this might be the person who keeps checking the mirror or talking about how impressive they are. But there is another common use too: if you do something in vain, you do it without success. You try, you hope, but nothing comes of it. So the word can point either to too much self-admiration or to an effort that leads nowhere.

The word vain describes someone excessively proud of their own appearance, qualities, or achievements—and who seeks constant approval from others. It's a strong term suggesting an inflated sense of self-importance and a lack of genuine humility. While everyone enjoys a compliment, a vain person needs them to feel good about themselves.

Historically, "vain" meant empty or futile—think of "vanity of vanities, all is vanity" from the Book of Ecclesiastes, meaning everything in life is ultimately meaningless. This original sense still lingers; something vainly attempted is done without success. However, today we most often use it to describe a person's character.

You might say someone is "vain about their intelligence" if they constantly boast about how smart they are, or "she was vain about her appearance" if she spends hours perfecting her look and fishing for compliments. It's important to distinguish vain from simply being confident. Confidence comes from within; vanity requires external validation.

In literature, vain characters often serve as foils (contrasting characters) to more humble ones, highlighting the dangers of excessive pride. Think of characters obsessed with their beauty or status, ultimately realizing those things are fleeting and superficial. So, vain isn't just about looking good—it's about a deep-seated need for external approval that often masks insecurity.