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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vainglorious
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
Too many American leaders seem more focused on the vainglorious posturing that too often leads to armed conflict.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
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
Too many American leaders seem more focused on the vainglorious posturing that too often leads to armed conflict.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vainglorious
Adjective
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Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
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The ceremony has remained a smug political distraction ever since.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Would the petulant, arrogant, all-knowing Donald still have started a war against Iran?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Your partner acts arrogant or entitled.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Quinlan is proud protesters have ignored MAGA supporters who have driven past, waving flags, honking horns and shouting insults during previous events.—
Steve Metsch,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Families gave their sons to the military and were proud to do it, and very worried.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, the Abbé pontificates on pretty much every topic known to man as the pair try in vain to tunnel their way to freedom.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
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There’s a version in which Zoro has a vain desire to be remembered.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 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 Mar. 2026.
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