Vain vs Cynical - What's the difference?
vain | cynical |
Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.
* (rfdate) Leo Rosten
Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying.
* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
* Bible, (w) v. 6
* (John Milton) (1608-1674)
Effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
* (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
* (rfdate) William of Occam
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=6, title= Showy; ostentatious.
* (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
*(Samuel Johnson) (1709-1784)
*:I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received.
Skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
*
*:He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark-for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies.
Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.
*
*:When he, at Neergard's cynical suggestion, had consented to exploit his own cluband had consented to resign from it to do so, he had every reason to believe that Neergard meant to either mulct them heavily or buy them out. In either case, having been useful to Neergard, his profits from the transaction would have been considerable.
Like the actions of a snarling dog.
:
As a noun vain
is .As an adjective cynical is
of or relating to the cynics, a sect of ancient greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.vain
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain ; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
- thy vain excuse
- Let no man deceive you with vain words.
- Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy.
- Vain is the force of man / To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
- It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.
A Cuckoo in the Nest, passage=But Sophia's mother was not the woman to brook defiance. After a few moments' vain remonstrance her husband complied. His manner and appearance were suggestive of a satiated sea-lion.}}
- Load some vain church with old theatric state.