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
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
Hwang’s vainglorious campaign underscores his later experience producing his next play, Face Value, and facing the death of his father, Henry Yuan Hwang (HYH), a patriotic immigrant and founder of Far East National Bank.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
The name is meant to evoke Theodore Roosevelt’s vainglorious 1898 cavalry charge up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
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
Hwang’s vainglorious campaign underscores his later experience producing his next play, Face Value, and facing the death of his father, Henry Yuan Hwang (HYH), a patriotic immigrant and founder of Far East National Bank.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
The name is meant to evoke Theodore Roosevelt’s vainglorious 1898 cavalry charge up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vainglorious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vainglorious
Adjective
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Howard sells his smug malice, digging into Matt in a way no one has before until the whole thing devolves into a physical fight.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
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In fact, Martineau’s sign angered plenty of Democrats, some of whom were already worried that smug liberal activists are harming the party.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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These early years emphasized goofiness, offensiveness, and mocking arrogant celebrities who pushed their platforms at award shows.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Aug. 2025
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The announcement was made during a backstage segment involving NXT General Manager Ava and the arrogant superstar Lexis King.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As Cantillo dissected his outing, Hedges peered over at him, beaming like a proud father.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
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But the proud Eugene will not hear of it.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a curse on Sophie and turns her into a 90-year-old woman.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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Community members rallied to keep the place open, and though the outcry didn’t pay off initially, their efforts weren’t in vain.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their music provided a suitably self-important soundtrack as Great Recession-era artisanal hipsterdom faded into the careerist hopefulness of the latter Obama years, when Everlane minimalism supplanted lumberjack plaid.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
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The effort was pointless and self-important and never once determined the Legislature could promote happiness by lowering the cost of living and staying out of people’s lives.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The kooky characters surrounding Judge Stone included the conceited prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), the imposing bailiff Bull Shannon (Richard Moll), and the idealistic public defender Christine Sullivan (Markie Post), each of whom had various quirks of their own.—
Dan Heching,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Guigal’s strategy isn’t built on pompous conservatism, but in long-term thinking.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Louis Partridge will take on the scheming Mr Wickham, with Jamie Demetriou playing the pompous Mr Collins, Daryl McCormack as Jane’s beloved Mr Bingley, Siena Kelly as his sister Caroline and Shaw as the fearsome Lady Catherine de Bourg.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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So yes, be yourself, so long as that self is not selfish, impulsive, or obnoxious.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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To be a quarterback means being selfish and sometimes delusional.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vainglorious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vainglorious. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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