English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 107

Antonyms:

disadvantage, futility, inadequacy, inutility, uselessness, folly, impolicy, inexpediency, unprofitableness, worthlessness.

VACANT.

Synonyms:

blank, leisure, unfilled, untenanted, void, empty, unemployed, unoccupied, vacuous, waste.

That is _empty_ which contains nothing; that is _vacant_ which is without that which has filled or might be expected to fill it; _vacant_ has extensive reference to rights or possibilities of occupancy. A _vacant_ room may not be _empty_, and an _empty_ house may not be _vacant_. _Vacant_, as derived from the Latin, is applied to things of some dignity; _empty_, from the Saxon, is preferred in speaking of slight, common, or homely matters, tho it may be applied with special force to the highest; we speak of _empty_ s.p.a.ce, a _vacant_ lot, an _empty_ dish, an _empty_ sleeve, a _vacant_ mind, an _empty_ heart, an _empty_ boast, a _vacant_ office, a _vacant_ or _leisure_ hour. _Void_ and _devoid_ are rarely used in the literal sense, but for the most part confined to abstract relations, _devoid_ being followed by _of_, and having with that addition the effect of a prepositional phrase; as, the article is _devoid of_ sense; the contract is _void_ for want of consideration. _Waste_, in this connection, applies to that which is made so by devastation or ruin, or gives an impression of desolation, especially as combined with vastness, probably from a.s.sociation of the words _waste_ and vast: _waste_ is applied also to uncultivated or unproductive land, if of considerable extent; we speak of a _waste_ track or region, but not of a _waste_ city lot. _Vacuous_ refers to the condition of being _empty_ or _vacant_, regarded as continuous or characteristic.

Antonyms:

brimful, busy, filled, inhabited, overflowing, brimmed, crammed, full, jammed, packed, br.i.m.m.i.n.g, crowded, gorged, occupied, replete.

VAIN.

Synonyms:

abortive, futile, shadowy, unsatisfying, baseless, idle, trifling, unserviceable, bootless, inconstant, trivial, unsubstantial, deceitful, ineffectual, unavailing, useless, delusive, nugatory, unimportant, vapid, empty, null, unprofitable, visionary, fruitless, profitless, unreal, worthless.

_Vain_ (L. _va.n.u.s_, empty) keeps the etymological idea through all changes of meaning; a _vain_ endeavor is _empty_ of result, or of adequate power to produce a result, a _vain_ pretension is _empty_ or dest.i.tute of support, a _vain_ person has a conceit that is _empty_ or dest.i.tute of adequate cause or reason. That which is _bootless_, _fruitless_, or _profitless_ fails to accomplish any valuable result; that which is _abortive_, _ineffectual_, or _unavailing_ fails to accomplish a result that it was, or was supposed to be, adapted to accomplish. That which is _useless_, _futile_, or _vain_ is inherently incapable of accomplis.h.i.+ng a specified result. _Useless_, in the widest sense, signifies not of use for any valuable purpose, and is thus closely similar to _valueless_ and _worthless_. _Fruitless_ is more final than _ineffectual_, as applying to the sum or harvest of endeavor.

That which is _useless_ lacks actual fitness for a purpose; that which is _vain_ lacks imaginable fitness. Compare VACANT; OSTENTATION; PRIDE.

Antonyms:

adequate, effective, powerful, solid, useful, advantageous, efficient, profitable, sound, valid, beneficial, expedient, real, substantial, valuable, competent, potent, serviceable, sufficient, worthy.

Compare synonyms for UTILITY.

VENAL.

Synonyms:

hireling, mercenary, purchasable, salable.

_Venal_ (L. _venalis_, from _venum_, sale) signifies ready to sell one's influence, vote, or efforts for money or other consideration; _mercenary_ (L. _mercenarius_, from _merces_, pay, reward) signifies influenced chiefly or only by desire for gain or reward; thus, etymologically, the _mercenary_ can be hired, while the _venal_ are openly or actually for sale; _hireling_ (AS. _hyrling_, from _hyr_) signifies serving for hire or pay, or having the spirit or character of one who works or of that which is done directly for hire or pay.

_Mercenary_ has especial application to character or disposition; as, a _mercenary_ spirit; _mercenary_ motives--_i. e._, a spirit or motives to which money is the chief consideration or the moving principle. The _hireling_, the _mercenary_, and the _venal_ are alike in making principle, conscience, and honor of less account than gold or sordid considerations; but the _mercenary_ and _venal_ may be simply open to the bargain and sale which the _hireling_ has already consummated; a clergyman may be _mercenary_ in making place and pay of undue importance while not _venal_ enough to forsake his own communion for another for any reward that could be offered him. The _mercenary_ may retain much show of independence; _hireling_ service sacrifices self-respect as well as principle; a public officer who makes his office tributary to private speculation in which he is interested is _mercenary_; if he receives a stipulated recompense for administering his office at the behest of some leader, faction, corporation, or the like, he is both _hireling_ and _venal_; if he gives essential advantages for pay, without subjecting himself to any direct domination, his course is _venal_, but not _hireling_. Compare PAY; VENIAL.

Antonyms:

disinterested, honest, incorruptible, public-spirited, generous, honorable, patriotic, unpurchasable.

VENERATE.

Synonyms:

adore, honor, respect, revere, reverence.

In the highest sense, to _revere_ or _reverence_ is to hold in mingled love and honor with something of sacred fear, as for that which while lovely is sublimely exalted and brings upon us by contrast a sense of our unworthiness or inferiority; to _revere_ is a wholly spiritual act; to _reverence_ is often, tho not necessarily, to give outward expression to the reverential feeling; we _revere_ or _reverence_ the divine majesty. _Revere_ is a stronger word than _reverence_ or _venerate_. To _venerate_ is to hold in exalted honor without fear, and is applied to objects less removed from ourselves than those we _revere_, being said especially of aged persons, of places or objects having sacred a.s.sociations, and of abstractions; we _venerate_ an aged pastor, the dust of heroes or martyrs, lofty virtue or self-sacrifice, or some great cause, as that of civil or religious liberty; we do not _venerate_ G.o.d, but _revere_ or _reverence_ him. We _adore_ with a humble yet free outflowing of soul. Compare VENERATION.

Antonyms:

contemn, detest, dishonor, scoff at, slight, despise, disdain, disregard, scorn, spurn.

VENERATION.

Synonyms:

adoration, awe, dread, reverence.

_Awe_ is inspired by that in which there is sublimity or majesty so overwhelming as to awaken a feeling akin to fear; in _awe_, considered by itself, there is no element of esteem or affection, tho the sense of vastness, power, or grandeur in the object is always present. _Dread_ is a shrinking apprehension or expectation of possible harm awakened by any one of many objects or causes, from that which is overwhelmingly vast and mighty to that which is productive of momentary physical pain; in its higher uses _dread_ approaches the meaning of _awe_, but with more of chilliness and cowering, and without that subjection of soul to the grandeur and worthiness of the object that is involved in _awe_. _Awe_ is preoccupied with the object that inspires it; _dread_ with apprehension of personal consequences. _Reverence_ and _veneration_ are less overwhelming than _awe_ or _dread_, and suggest something of esteem, affection, and personal nearness. We may feel _awe_ of that which we can not _reverence_, as a grandly terrible ocean storm; _awe_ of the divine presence is more distant and less trustful than _reverence_. _Veneration_ is commonly applied to things which are not subjects of _awe_. _Adoration_, in its full sense, is loftier than _veneration_, less restrained and awed than _reverence_, and with more of the spirit of direct, active, and joyful wors.h.i.+p. Compare ESTEEM; VENERATE.

Antonyms:

contempt, disdain, dishonor, disregard, scorn.

VENIAL.

Synonyms:

excusable, pardonable, slight, trivial.

_Venial_ (L. _venia_, pardon) signifies capable of being pardoned, and, in common use, capable of being readily pardoned, easily overlooked.