vanity

noun van·i·ty \ ˈva-nə-tē \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of vanity

plural vanities

1 : inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance : conceit

2 : something that is vain, empty, or valueless

3 a : dressing table

b : a bathroom cabinet containing a sink and usually having a countertop

4 : the quality or fact of being vain

5 : a fashionable trifle or knickknack

6 a : ³compact a

b : a small case or handbag for toilet articles used by women

See vanity defined for English-language learners

See vanity defined for kids

Examples of vanity in a Sentence

The handsome actor's vanity was well-known.
She described her accomplishments without exaggeration or vanity.

Recent Examples of vanity from the Web

And buried within the trend is a useful lesson: vanity doesn't have to be at odds with utility.

— jake woolf, GQ, "The Best Men's Crossbody Bags to Buy Right Now," 23 Mar. 2018
Adults, like children, seek these mirrors in visual culture, too — not out of vanity, but perhaps to satisfy some unfulfilled desire to be seen, as well as to see.

— connor garel, Teen Vogue, "Ava DuVernay’s Cinematic Gospel Is Changing Hollywood Brick by Brick," 22 Mar. 2018
Whether out of vanity or individualism, visual artist Dain Yoon painted pictures of herself on her nails and completed the look with hair to create a truly unique manicure that has since gone viral.

— hannah drown, cleveland.com, "Do you think manicured 'hair nails' are trendy or creepy? (Tylt poll)," 30 Jan. 2018
On the vanity in front of her are a handful of products, including more skin care, a little powder, some hair tinctures of various weights and finishes with labels.

— brennan kilbane, Allure, "Meet Kristan Serafino, Hollywood’s Most Sought-After Groomer," 22 Mar. 2018
Spanish-style tile in a pale pattern creates a striking motif surrounding the vanity.

— susan langenhennig, NOLA.com, "The perfect beach retreat: French Quarter gallery owner renovates a cozy Bay St. Louis cottage," 21 Mar. 2018
But, Lucas emphasized when the City Council voted 14-0 to approve the project last year that the Lucas Museum for Narrative Art is hardly intended to be a vanity project.

— Washington Post, "George Lucas to break ground on LA’s Museum of Narrative Art," 14 Mar. 2018
The film was clearly a vanity project, though Brandeis is careful to give it its due.

— meghan daum, New York Times, "New Memoirs Try to Get the Balance Right," 12 Jan. 2018
The Hambantota schemes were vanity projects for the then-president, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

— The Economist, "In South Asia, Chinese infrastructure brings debt and antagonism," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vanity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

vanity vs. pride

People often turn to the dictionary in search of the minute and subtle differences between two similar words. The closely related duo of vanity and pride, which overlap significantly in some respects yet differ in others, offer one such example. Putting aside such uses as pride referring to “a company of lions” and vanity meaning “a dressing table,” each of these words may refer to a state of excessive self-esteem. However, pride may also signify a feeling of satisfaction or happiness (either in oneself or on behalf of others) based on something that is well done; vanity is unlikely to be used in this manner. For a well-worded explanation of this distinction, we might look to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, in which the character Mary opines: “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”

Origin and Etymology of vanity

Middle English vanite, borrowed from Anglo-French vanité, borrowed from Latin vānitāt-, vānitās "emptiness, lack of judgment, foolish pride," from vānus "empty, lacking content" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at ¹wane

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

vanity Synonyms

vanity

adjective

Definition of vanity

1 : of, relating to, or being a work (such as a book or recording) whose production cost is paid by the author or artist

2 : of, relating to, or being a showcase for a usually famous performer or artist who is often also the project's creator or driving force

write, direct, and star in a vanity film

First Known Use of vanity

circa 1925

VANITY Defined for English Language Learners

vanity

noun

Definition of vanity for English Language Learners

: the quality of people who have too much pride in their own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc. : the quality of being vain
: something (such as a belief or a way of behaving) which shows that you have too much pride in yourself, your social status, etc.
: a bathroom cabinet that is covered by a sink and a countertop