conceit
noun
an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
conceits
-
pluralof conceit.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All of Mr. Horowitz’s conceits are present here: a murder mystery within the murder mystery, winking nods at the author’s real-life career as a novelist and screenwriter, and playful experimentation with the detective-story form.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
“Gladiator II” and “Alien: Romulus” are Ridley Scott properties that heavily retread ground covered in the original conceits that inspired them.
From Salon ● Dec. 9, 2024
Awarding the show three stars, the Telegraph's Claire Allfree said the "unstable, performative nature of identity, and its analogous resonance for theatre - the ultimate con trick - are familiar conceits".
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2024
But some of the conceits behind that were very interesting, like the British aristocracy being criminal in the essence of controlling land and being able to pass that down for generations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
“But she is employing the literary conceits and techniques of a novel. And the meeting you speak of has already occurred—you have been reading it for the past quarter of an hour.”
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
