English vocabulary · C1
Vapid
/ˈvæp.ɪd/ · adj.
It means dull and empty — something that looks or sounds good on the outside but has no real meaning or depth inside.
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Example sentences
- The speech was vapid, full of words but empty of ideas.
- Her vapid smile told me she had nothing to say.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- vapidus — flat, tasteless (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- DULL — not interesting at all (Flat & Uninteresting)
- SHALLOW — lacking serious thought (No Real Depth)
- HOLLOW — no real substance (Empty Inside)
Words with the same root
vapor — steam, flat taste
- vapor — gas or steam in the air
- evaporate — turn into vapor and disappear
Lesson notes
Vapid. It means dull and empty — something that looks or sounds good on the outside but has no real meaning or depth inside.
Similar words are dull, shallow, and hollow. Use vapid when something sounds fine but has no real ideas inside.
The speech was vapid, full of words but empty of ideas. Her vapid smile told me she had nothing to say.
From Latin. Vapidus- means flat and tasteless. Like a drink that has lost all its taste — that is vapid.