vainglorious

adjective

vain·​glo·​ri·​ous ˌvān-ˈglȯr-ē-əs 

: marked by vainglory : boastful

vaingloriously adverb

vaingloriousness noun

Synonyms

• assured
• biggety [Southern & Midland]
• biggity
• bigheaded
• complacent
• conceited
• consequential
• egoistic
• egoistical
• egotistic
• egotistical
• important
• overweening
• pompous
• prideful
• proud
• self-conceited
• self-important
• self-opinionated
• self-satisfied
• smug
• stuck-up
• swellheaded
• vain

Examples of vainglorious in a Sentence

a vainglorious woman who always insists on being the center of attention

Recent Examples on the Web

Daemon, Viserys’s vainglorious younger brother, had married his niece in part as a way to strengthen his own bid for the throne, and Alicent had pushed for the ascension of her immature firstborn, Aegon. —Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024

Debuting March 3, the six-part realpolitik satire, created and executive produced by Succession alum Will Tracy, sees Oscar and Emmy winner Winslet return to HBO in an often hilarious role as the vainglorious Elena. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 June 2024

Boyle plays Booth as both vainglorious and self-pitying. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Having become frivolous, vainglorious, and suicidal, the Republican Party is on the verge of super-gluing itself to its risible liability of a perma-candidate for the eighth year in a row. —Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vaynegloryous, from vaynglorie vainglory + -ous -ous, after Middle French vaneglorious and Medieval Latin vāniglōrius

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

vainglorious

adjective

vain·​glo·​ri·​ous (ˈ)vān-ˈglōr-ē-əs 

-ˈglȯr-

: being vain and boastful : showing vainglory

vaingloriously adverb

vaingloriousness noun