as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a vainglorious woman who always insists on being the center of attention
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Recent Examples of vainglorious
The real real thing tended to be rather different: clumsy, ad hoc, vainglorious—and secret.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
Here, too, in the Airfix models and the vainglorious LP collection is the solitary self-curation of the only child—the kid who can’t dash from his bedroom to a sibling’s, model or record in hand.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Donald Trump’s vainglorious birthday parade masquerading as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army may get drenched in a rainy DC this Flag Day, but the financial sun is shining a bit brighter for some suffering Hollywood vendors.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 June 2025
Not to the founders — three vainglorious men who had been born with the world in their hands and their futures glittering like gold coins waiting to be spent — but to the people of Hartford.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
Here, too, in the Airfix models and the vainglorious LP collection is the solitary self-curation of the only child—the kid who can’t dash from his bedroom to a sibling’s, model or record in hand.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Donald Trump’s vainglorious birthday parade masquerading as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army may get drenched in a rainy DC this Flag Day, but the financial sun is shining a bit brighter for some suffering Hollywood vendors.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 June 2025
Not to the founders — three vainglorious men who had been born with the world in their hands and their futures glittering like gold coins waiting to be spent — but to the people of Hartford.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vainglorious
Adjective
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The test case—picturing a cow doing ballet—produces a smug bovine pirouetting.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
My math teachers of old are very smug somewhere.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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However, many thought Tilson Thomas too brash and arrogant to lead an orchestra, and, around the same time, Tilson Thomas fell in with New York’s disco-hopping crowd.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The proud Westeros family of dragonlords have always been intent on making things bend to their (fair-haired, dragon-loving) will, even when the chips were down.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
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Gordon Ramsay is one proud dad as daughter Tilly Ramsay completes the TCS London Marathon on April 26 in London.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In reply, Rishabh Pant’s 42 went in vain as Lucknow faltered to finish with 155-8 in 20 overs, and then ultimately lost the Super Over.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
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While rescuers searched in vain, distraught relatives of passengers rushed to the ValuJet counter at Miami International.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Only this time the interns are boring Gen Z stereotypes (obsessed with TikTok, too sensitive, too emotional, too self-important).—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
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This isn’t just one self-important critic’s opinion — Berry herself has talked about it.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Avoid Burying Praise in Negatives To avoid making children too conceited, parents might bury praise in the midst of negatives.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Pitt definitely feels like the type of workplace where conceited doctors-in-training are pretty much guaranteed to quickly get knocked down a peg.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And the less said of the poorly mixed, pompous Machina, the better.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
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The pompous clergyman enters the life of the Bennet family, his distant cousins, with the assumption that, given his respectable position and benefactor, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, one of those daughters would be happy to marry him.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vainglorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vainglorious. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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