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Meaning & use

vapid

adjective·Advanceddisapproving

Last updated

UK/ˈvæp.ɪd/
US/ˈvæp.ɪd/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Lacking interest, excitement, or intellectual substance; dull and shallow.

    Grammar: Gradable but almost never compared: very vapid; more vapid appears only in careful writing.

    Patterns

    • vapid conversation
    • vapid remarks
    • vapid entertainment

    The article was full of vapid celebrity gossip.

    I found his speech pleasant enough but completely vapid.

    The interview stayed vapid and avoided every real question.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Showing no personality, intelligence, or energy, especially describing a person or character.

    Grammar: Used before a noun about people or characters: a vapid hero, not usually after a verb.

    Patterns

    • vapid smile
    • vapid character
    • vapid socialite

    The film's vapid hero has no personality at all.

    She played a vapid socialite with perfect comic timing.

    He greeted us with a vapid smile and said nothing of interest.

Common combinations

vapid conversation
The dinner was pleasant, but the conversation was vapid.
vapid remarks
She smiled politely at his vapid remarks about the weather.
utterly vapid
I found the lecture utterly vapid and left early.
vapid entertainment
The channel mostly airs vapid entertainment with little real content.

Synonyms and how they differ

insipid
Insipid describes weak ideas or lacking flavor; vapid stresses emptiness and dullness.
bland
Bland is milder and can be positive for food; vapid always criticizes as shallow.
vacuous
Vacuous stresses a complete lack of intelligent thought, usually about people or remarks.
dull
Dull is the everyday general word for boring; vapid specifically implies shallow content.

Opposites

engagingstimulating

Word family

vapidly adverb
In a dull, uninteresting way.
vapidity noun
The quality of being dull and shallow; a formal use.
vapidness noun
The state of lacking interest or substance.

Commonly confused: vapid or rapid? vapid or vacuous?

vapid vs rapid

Rapid means fast and changes only one letter; a rapid speech might still be interesting, while a vapid one is empty.

vapid vs vacuous

Both criticize emptiness, but vacuous targets lack of thought in people, while vapid targets dull content like talk or writing.

Practice

The reviewers described the film as ______ because it repeated the same tired jokes with no original ideas.

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