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Conceited vs Vain - What's the difference?

conceited | vain |

Vain is a synonym of conceited.



As adjectives the difference between conceited and vain

is that conceited is having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc.; vain and egotistical while vain is overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.

As a verb conceited

is past tense of conceit.

conceited

English

Etymology 1

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc.; vain and egotistical.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • If you think me too conceited / Or to passion quickly heated.
  • * Bentley
    • Conceited of their own wit, science, and politeness.
  • (rhetoric, literature) Having an ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device.
  • *
  • (obsolete) Endowed with fancy or imagination.
  • * Knolles
    • He was pleasantly conceited , and sharp of wit.
  • (obsolete) Curiously contrived or designed; fanciful.
  • * Evelyn
    • A conceited chair to sleep in.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * conceitedly * conceitedness

    Etymology 2

    See (conceit) (verb)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (conceit)

    • vain

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason.
  • * (rfdate) Leo Rosten
    • Every writer is a narcissist. This does not mean that he is vain ; it only means that he is hopelessly self-absorbed.
  • Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
    • thy vain excuse
  • * Bible, (w) v. 6
    • Let no man deceive you with vain words.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy.
  • Effecting no purpose; pointless, futile.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
    • Vain is the force of man / To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
  • * (rfdate) William of Occam
    • It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=6, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=But Sophia's mother was not the woman to brook defiance. After a few moments' vain remonstrance her husband complied. His manner and appearance were suggestive of a satiated sea-lion.}}
  • Showy; ostentatious.
  • * (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
    • Load some vain church with old theatric state.

    Synonyms

    * (overly proud of oneself) conceited; puffed up; inflated * (pointless) pointless, futile, fruitless, ineffectual * See also * See also

    Derived terms

    * in vain * vainness * vainly

    Related terms

    * vanity

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * English terms with homophones ----