1
as in metaphor
an elaborate or fanciful way of expressing something
the conceit that the crowd at the outdoor rock concert was a vast sea of people waving to the beat of the music
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in illusion
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality
his dream of swimming in the Olympics is nothing more than a conceit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
even though her novels are enormously popular, the writer is more prone to humility than to conceit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to imagine
to form a mental picture of
after a huge meal like that, I cannot conceit eating another thing for the rest of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conceit
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
The conceit here is that there are two boxes that help determine where the story leads.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Bateman’s questioning aside, the lack of research is a central conceit of the show, which launched during the pandemic as a pastime for friends and now hosts Will Arnett, Sean Hayes and Bateman.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This particular title works best in a rather scrappier and more intimate staging, with a conceit that pays more homage to its B-movie origins.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for conceit
Noun
Based on a manga by Tomoko Yamashita, the series takes its name from the loose central conceit, in which one of the two main characters — sweet but sheltered 15-year-old Asa — keeps a journal recording her daily thoughts in the weeks and months following a car crash that takes her parents’ lives.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
The conceit here is that there are two boxes that help determine where the story leads.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Bateman’s questioning aside, the lack of research is a central conceit of the show, which launched during the pandemic as a pastime for friends and now hosts Will Arnett, Sean Hayes and Bateman.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This particular title works best in a rather scrappier and more intimate staging, with a conceit that pays more homage to its B-movie origins.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for conceit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceit
Noun
-
Although his metaphor is original, the underlying case is not.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
One of the prettiest moment’s in the play is when Liz offers to buy a round of drinks for her fellow passengers, a simple gesture that speaks to a bigger metaphor.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Desperate customers were calling multiple brokers at once, creating the illusion of demand spikes that sent truck owners scrambling to raise prices, Biswas said.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The converted car, filled with seats and fast-moving images LED screens, doesn’t go anywhere but gives you the illusion of traveling through agave fields.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The marble bathrooms offer plenty of room to stretch out, with double vanities, deep bathtubs, power showers, and thick terry cloth robes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Good said more companies are seeking fitness options in their buildings in the wake of the pandemic, and the development would have ample exercise equipment, upscale lockers, shower rooms, vanities and saunas.—
Madison Iszler,
San Antonio Express-News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Uncompetitive contests that feature anonymous rosters as stars – or even competent role players – are shut down for the season with injuries both real and imagined.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The second narrative, the one that came later—with science fiction reinventing the robot as gleaming, futuristic, aspirational—built a future that, as imagined by European and American science fiction writers, was white.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His Jonas – pronounced YO-nash in English – dreams of having a restaurant but is stifled as an ex-con with a fraud conviction.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
While growing fintech company Esusu to be a billion-dollar success, its creators were even willing to sleep in a Denny’s to get their dream off the ground.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Watching a prodigy embarrass the world over 72 holes was riveting; equally captivating is following the same person be exposed by life, hubris and ego.—
Mac Engel
April 9,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Their iconic Full-On Plumping Lip Polish is designed to unleash your sexy alter-ego and stimulate your senses.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Rowen project was first envisioned more than 20 years ago and involved a prolonged campaign to acquire the land, rezone it and invest in infrastructure.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In 1949, Arthur Miller envisioned the American Dream as a kind of spiritual opioid crisis — a profitable system of addiction, this one to a beautiful lie, that was literally killing people.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Inspired by the Coachella headliner herself, the stop is a Sabrina fantasy land, with sparkly vintage cars, slushie concoctions and much more.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The president is tweeting about his genocidal fantasies in Iran.—
Anne Bryson,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conceit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceit. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
