VAINGLORY Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

vainglory

noun

ˈvān-ˌglȯr-ē

Definition of vainglory

as in vanity

an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements the vainglory that nations have historically shown after they have achieved military supremacy

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of vainglory The conceit is saved from vainglory by the gravity Cage brings to the performance. — Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023 That’s the mantra for wide receivers, a group long known for their vainglory. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 Cuevas excels at spotlighting vainglory, and there’s plenty to go around here. — Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 27 July 2023 For all his vainglory, Mitchell was onto something in betting on a race as an aeronautical showcase. — Michael O’Donnell, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2022 The best reason to pursue anarchism, to walk that line between chaos and the man, is that none of us is free from greed or vainglory. — Alan Jacobs, Harper’s Magazine , 9 Nov. 2022 Behind closed doors, people are nervously voicing that the annual grandstanding on stage has shifted too much towards vainglory, rather than progress against staggering challenges. — Charles Beames, Forbes, 31 Aug. 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vainglory

Noun

Rather than through a cold call or email, the scammers lure them through websites offering self-publishing or vanity publishing.

— Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026
And the angelic youth Dorian Gray’s deadly descent into vanity and vice—ignited by a hubristic obsession with his own image—eerily foreshadows the grim trajectory of Wilde’s later years.

— Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of vanity

Noun

Both teams now limp into Saturday's game in Austin with bruised bodies and egos, and carrying a whiff of desperation for a win to keep the season from unraveling.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Did that feel like a parody of my ego, or also a way to make fun of it?

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ego

Noun

An America that seeks justice with dignity and wisdom, not arrogance and gore.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
These fascinating, illuminating episodes raise the question of whether great fiction requires the kind of single-mindedness and even arrogance that McCarthy cultivated.

— New York Times, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrogance

Browse Nearby Words

vaingloriousness

vainglory

vainness

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“Vainglory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vainglory. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of vainglory

noun

Example Sentences

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