Wrongdoer renouncing evil without real worth (4)
I believe the answer is:
vain
'without real worth' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'wrongdoer renouncing evil' is the wordplay.
'wrongdoer' becomes 'villain' (a villain does bad things).
'renouncing' is a deletion indicator.
'evil' becomes 'ill' (as in doing people ill).
'villain' with 'ill' removed is 'VAIN'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for vain that I've seen before include "Conceited - or a waste of time" , "Swollen-headed" , "Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance" , "Conceited or pointless" , "Conceited - or hopeless" .)