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
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Eternity mines its compelling conceit for both peppery comedy and bleary sentiment.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Its conceit is a neat one for a film — and totally believable for a family history from anarchic Eastern Europe after the Second World War.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
The pair have taken this conceit and reworked it to be about a football player who, after blowing his college career, dons a whole new disguise, that of Chad Powers, and tries to win it all back.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conceit
Noun
The whole conceit of the 2025 season was that the veterans would hold down the fort until the prodigious roster of kids caught up to the speed, smarts, and physicality of the NFL game.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Eternity mines its compelling conceit for both peppery comedy and bleary sentiment.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Its conceit is a neat one for a film — and totally believable for a family history from anarchic Eastern Europe after the Second World War.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
The pair have taken this conceit and reworked it to be about a football player who, after blowing his college career, dons a whole new disguise, that of Chad Powers, and tries to win it all back.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conceit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceit
Noun
-
The scene demonstrates Courtney’s capacious approach to metaphor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Tipping points are not precise A tipping point is a metaphor for runaway change.—
Alexandra A Phillips,
The Conversation,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Inspired by mirrors, which reflect reality while simultaneously generating illusion, the collection explored the tension between the two.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Her research examines people’s beliefs about what others think of them, including illusions and biases that can interfere with social connection, and interventions to improve people’s social lives.—
Maya Rossignac-Milon
Erica Boothby,
CNBC,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Even as the young man attempts to ignore the din of city life outside his window, his fear of losing his vanity is ultimately what disrupts his fantasies.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While Lee road trips around Osage County, Betty Jo sits at the vanity, deciding whether to put on her wedding ring.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That said, hard to imagine Burks would be ready to play so quickly.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Then, imagine those color-changing mountains reflected in the briny water of desert salt flats, a mirage that ripples when local flamingos fly by in twos and threes.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And Eggar sang and danced alongside Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle (1967), the musical fantasy about a guy who can talk to the animals.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Good Fortune may be a comedy with a fantasy twist, but its watches give it weight and texture.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Prior to the game, Jenkins’ biggest issue was likely a bruised ego.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Both investors emphasized Chavarria’s authenticity and lack of ego as key factors in their decision to back him.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Niccol envisions Starbucks' app evolving to use AI that predicts and prepares orders based on customers’ location and previous ordering habits.—
Ben Kelly,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
-
As The Rise Group looks forward, Starnes envisions a landscape in which organizations are increasingly able to balance strategic objectives with social impact.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Working with Jessica [Yu, director] is a dream.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Saft’s decorating dreams began early.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Conceit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceit. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share