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
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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To this point, the Heat arguably have been too stubborn, or too arrogant, in belief that the quick fix was just around the corner.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
His style is relaxed and confident, not arrogant.—
Tara Klein,
SPIN,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Eddie Murphy’s son Eric and Martin Lawrence’s daughter Jasmin have welcomed their first baby since marrying last June, proud grandpa Murphy revealed over the weekend.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
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The company is proud to provide a valuable recycling and renewable resource facility for Arlington, Mansfield and the Metroplex.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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But all of that greatness would have been in vain if his partner for the past decade-plus — his perfect foil — Green, didn’t find a way to turn back the clock as well.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 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 23 Apr. 2026.
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