Vanity Fair

American  

noun

1. (in Bunyan'sPilgrim's Progress ) a fair that goes on perpetually in the town of Vanity and symbolizes worldly ostentation and frivolity.

2. (often lowercase) any place or group, as the world or fashionable society, characterized by or displaying a preoccupation with idle pleasures or ostentation.

3. (italics) a novel (1847–48) by Thackeray.

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Vanity Fair British  

noun

1. literary (often not capitals) the social life of a community, esp of a great city, or the world in general, considered as symbolizing worldly frivolity

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Vanity Fair Cultural  

1. (1847–1848) A novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. The leading character is Becky Sharp, an unscrupulous woman who gains wealth and influence by her cleverness.

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Etymology

Origin of Vanity Fair

from Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

Example Sentences

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

Safdie told Vanity Fair he liked Catsimatidis’ “larger-than-life regional business man” look, which he noticed when the mogul ran for New York City mayor in 2013.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Zendaya in a November 2024 interview in Vanity Fair pushed back on the notion that her schedule was what delayed production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 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

This was a new city and a foreign country, the city of Vanity Fair and Great Expectations.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart