vapid

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'vapid' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is lacking in flavor, freshness, interest, or vitality. For example: "The vapid lecture bored me to tears."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The danger is that celebrity-backed projects can be as vapid as fame itself – and nowhere has the spectacle of political celebrity commingling with disaster become as overt as in Haiti.

The Guardian

The US president has proved unwilling or unable to do so, with the result that the G7 leaders meet, issue a vapid communiqué, and hotfoot it back to the airport as fast they can.

The Guardian - Business

At the very least, the latter scenario will help to enliven what has been so far a lacklustre and vapid campaign.

The Guardian

The constitutional change, if enacted, will simply extend marriage equality to same-sex couples: adoption and surrogacy laws are completely unaffected and it is vapid in the extreme to invoke them.

The Guardian

But the problem is that Ms Merkel has been delivering similarly vapid speeches around the whole country.

The Economist

The CIA's planning included serious talk of assassinating some of Arbenz's loyalists, and it even drew up a training manual on assassination, all the more grotesque for being written in vapid bureaucratese: "The specific technique employed will depend upon a large number of variables, but should be constant in one point: Death must be absolutely certain".

The Economist

Yes, maybe A delicate judgment Fogh in the Aegean Taxing times Judge Garzón in the dock Germany's oddly vapid election Reprints Related items The trouble with nuclear fuel: Struggling to hold up a bankAug 6th 2009One reason to keep reactors humming is money.

The Economist

Yes, maybe A delicate judgment Fogh in the Aegean Taxing times Judge Garzón in the dock Germany's oddly vapid election Reprints Related items Spain's judiciary: Judge Garzón in the dockSep 10th 2009 Spain's happy-go-lucky government: When good politics is bad economicsJul 30th 2009Respite will not come soon.

The Economist

This is not a matter of repudiating conservatism and becoming a vapid "centrist"—which he could not plausibly do, and should not in any case try to do.

The Economist

They disapprove of the vapid notion that spending more on a soft drink or ice cream can bring happiness or social cachet.

The Economist

For the modern party, a politician who expresses his own opinion in his own words, instead of those devised at headquarters by a vapid reaction unit, is an accident waiting to happen.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "vapid" to describe something lacking in substance or intellectual stimulation, such as a "vapid" conversation or a "vapid" performance. It's particularly effective when criticizing something that presents itself as profound but is ultimately shallow.

Common error

While both "vapid" and boring describe something uninteresting, "vapid" implies a lack of substance or depth, whereas "boring" simply means unexciting. Avoid using "vapid" when you only want to convey that something is dull, and instead emphasize the absence of meaningful content.

Linguistic Context

The word "vapid" functions primarily as an adjective. It is used to describe nouns, indicating that they possess a quality of being bland, lacking substance, or devoid of interest. Ludwig AI affirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

8%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "vapid" is an adjective used to describe something lacking substance, depth, or interest. According to Ludwig AI, the word is correctly used in written English, especially when expressing criticism. It frequently appears in News & Media and Encyclopedia contexts, carrying a neutral formality level. While often confused with "boring", "vapid" specifically emphasizes the absence of meaningful content, making it a powerful tool for expressing disapproval of something perceived as shallow or empty. Examples sourced by Ludwig, like those from The Economist and The Guardian, demonstrate its application across various topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insipid

Similar in meaning, but emphasizes a lack of flavor or excitement.

dull

Focuses on a lack of interest or excitement.

banal

Highlights a lack of originality or freshness.

vacuous

Emphasizes a lack of intellectual substance or meaning.

uninspired

Focuses on a lack of creativity or motivation.

empty

Highlights a lack of content or significance.

shallow

Suggests a lack of depth or understanding.

meaningless

Emphasizes a lack of purpose or value.

inane

Highlights silliness or foolishness.

colorless

Focuses on a lack of vibrancy or personality.

FAQs

How to use "vapid" in a sentence?

You can use "vapid" to describe something that lacks depth, substance, or interest. For example, "The politician's speech was full of "vapid promises" that no one believed."

What can I say instead of "vapid"?

You can use alternatives like "insipid", "dull", or "banal" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "vapid" and "vacuous"?

"Vapid" suggests a lack of flavor or interest, while "vacuous" implies a lack of intelligence or substance. Something "vapid" might be boring, but something "vacuous" is empty and often pretentious.

Is "vapid" a formal or informal word?

"Vapid" is generally considered a neutral word, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it's more common in writing than in everyday conversation.