vanity

American  

[van-i-tee] / ˈvæn ɪ ti /

noun

plural

vanities

1. excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit.

   Failure to be elected was a great blow to his vanity.

   Synonyms:

   ostentation, vainglory, complacency, egotism

   Antonyms:

   humility

2. an instance or display of this quality or feeling.

3. something about which one is vain or excessively proud.

   His good looks are his greatest vanity.

4. lack of real value; hollowness; worthlessness.

   the vanity of a selfish life.

   Synonyms:

   futility, triviality, folly, unreality, sham, emptiness

5. something worthless, trivial, or pointless.

6. vanity case.

7. dressing table.

8. a wide, counterlike shelf containing a wash basin, as in the bathroom of a hotel or residence, often equipped with shelves, drawers, etc., underneath.

9. a cabinet built below or around a bathroom sink, primarily to hide exposed pipes.

10. compact.

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adjective

1. produced as a showcase for one's own talents, especially as a writer, actor, singer, or composer.

   surprisingly entertaining for a vanity production.

2. of, relating to, or issued by a vanity press.

   a spate of vanity books.

vanity British  

/ ˈvænɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being vain; excessive pride or conceit

2. ostentation occasioned by ambition or pride

3. an instance of being vain or something about which one is vain

4. the state or quality of being valueless, futile, or unreal

5. something that is worthless or useless

6. short for vanity unit

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Usage

What does vanity mean? Vanity is the excessive pride in oneself, usually related to appearance or accomplishments, as in Simon’s vanity wouldn’t let him purchase a more practical car. Vanity can also refer to something a person is overly proud of, as in Lars’ only real vanity was his singing ability. Vanity can also refer to an area with a mirror where you would groom yourself, like a dressing table or a counter and sink. A vanity can also be a place for storing grooming products, such as a shelf, cupboard, or case. Example: That museum of vanity that he calls a house is just full of his own artwork and paintings.

Related Words

See pride.

Other Word Forms

• vanitied
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of vanity

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English vanite from Old French vanité from Latin vānitās, equivalent to vān- ( see vain) + -itās -ity

Explanation

Vanity is the quality of being vain, or having a ridiculous amount of pride. If you have excessive vanity in your appearance, you probably spend long hours sitting at your vanity table doing your makeup or plucking your nose hairs. If you pride yourself on looking absolutely perfect and refuse to do any work that might dirty your clothes or mess up your hair, someone might accuse you of vanity. Often vanity is empty, like the emperor’s in The Emperor's New Clothes. If someone pays to have her own book published even though it’s really bad, we say it is a vanity printing.

Example Sentences

Vanity Fair dubbed her an “improbable feminist icon.”

From Slate • May 6, 2026

Maureen Orth is a longtime magazine journalist whose work in Vanity Fair tackled the power and privilege of celebrity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

It’s ironic that many A.I. overlords are so obsessed with taste lately, lurking at Prada shows and Vanity Fair parties.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

Domingo, who plays Ali on the show, told Vanity Fair in 2024 that Fezco's character was originally going to feature strongly in the series.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Vanity Dancing, the old club, now for rent.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• arrogance
• pride