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If you say that something such as someone's death, suffering, or effort was in vain, you mean that it was useless because it did not achieve anything. He wants the world to know his son did not die in vain.
unsuccessful or useless; failing to achieve a purpose: a vain attempt to avoid responsibility. Employers clearly hoped that the workers would stay longer, but their efforts were largely in vain (= unsuccessful). vain adjective [-er/-est only] (SELFISH)
The meaning of VAIN is having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : conceited. How to use vain in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Vain.
If you do something in vain, you do it with no result, or to no effect. Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address to make it clear that Union soldiers did not die in vain. If an effort is futile, it's in vain.
unsuccessful or useless; failing to achieve a purpose: a vain attempt to avoid responsibility. Employers clearly hoped that the workers would stay longer, but their efforts were largely in vain (= unsuccessful). vain adjective [-er/-est only] (SELFISH)
To no avail, useless, as in All our work was in vain . [c. 1300] Also see take someone's name in vain.
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.
