vanity

noun van·i·ty \ ˈva-nə-tē \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Examples: vanity in a Sentence

Editor's Note: vanity vs. pride

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

Handcrafted and presented in individual leather cases, the combs are an Instagram-worthy addition to any vanity.

— janelle okwodu, Vogue, "Byredo’s New Keepsake Combs Pay Tribute to Africa’s Beloved Queens," 13 July 2018
Scorpion plays as a series of parables about the wickedness of modern life and its signal sins of greed, vanity, and pride.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Why Drake Can’t Pull Off Being the ‘Good Guy’," 5 July 2018
Even Barack Obama, who believed in alliances and knew how to appeal to Europeans’ vanity, wanted to pivot America towards Asia.

— The Economist, "Europe has few good options for dealing with Donald Trump," 17 May 2018
The master bathroom features a natural stone floor, tub, walk-in natural tile shower, bidet, and vanity with a stone countertop.

— margaret demarino, courant.com, "Property of the week: 95 West Road, Canton," 6 July 2017
Their intense turns are admirably free of vanity, making their less than likable characters feel authentic.

— frank scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Lighthouse': Film Review," 4 July 2018
Here are the best face wipes that have a permanent home in our bags and on our vanities.

— rachel nussbaum, Glamour, "The 10 Best Face Wipes Glamour Editors Can't Live Without," 27 June 2018
The outlet also reports that Fanz hid the body in her bathroom vanity.

— greg hanlon, PEOPLE.com, "N.J. Mom Strangled Newborn Girl Minutes After Birth — Then Dumped Her Body to Be Taken Out with the Trash," 25 June 2018
Although Queen Victoria might not necessarily approve, blush has survived the onslaught of strobing highlighters and contouring kits to make its full return to our vanities without a hitch.

— refinery29.com, "The Surprising Reason Blush Is Making A Big Comeback This Summer," 12 June 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

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First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

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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

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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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