1
as in metaphor
an elaborate or fanciful way of expressing something the conceit that the crowd at the outdoor rock concert was a vast sea of people waving to the beat of the music
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2
as in illusion
a conception or image created by the imagination and having no objective reality his dream of swimming in the Olympics is nothing more than a conceit
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3
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements even though her novels are enormously popular, the writer is more prone to humility than to conceit
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as in to imagine
to form a mental picture of after a huge meal like that, I cannot conceit eating another thing for the rest of the day
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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 conceit
David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 The film is based on a viral conceit about a digital maze that exists outside of reality. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026 Aks and Pinder’s underlying conceit is believable enough. —Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026 In those earlier pictures, metaphysical conceits became visual and dramatic gambits as the filmmakers set out to colonize the vast interior worlds of, respectively, the mind and the spirit. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conceit
Noun
The Christophers introduces itself as another indie spin on a familiar conceit, then heads in a much more empathetic direction than Soderbergh’s usual portrayal of burglars on the down-low. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 The film is based on a viral conceit about a digital maze that exists outside of reality. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026 Aks and Pinder’s underlying conceit is believable enough. —Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026 In those earlier pictures, metaphysical conceits became visual and dramatic gambits as the filmmakers set out to colonize the vast interior worlds of, respectively, the mind and the spirit. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conceit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceit
Noun
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When Rue meets one of Laurie’s customers, Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a strip-club mogul fond of cowboy hats and the American frontier as an organizing metaphor, the everything-is-for-sale theme is amplified further.— Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
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Pete made this amazing metaphor.— Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But as their profile rises, so do the risks, and the illusion proves increasingly difficult to maintain.— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
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Jaden McDaniels isn’t worried about the illusion of respect.— Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The primary bath is outfitted with marble flooring, Lefroy Brooks plumbing fixtures, Ann Sachs tile, dual vanities, a large soaking tub and a steam shower.— Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
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Documents said the teenager told police that Ploor grabbed her, pushed her into a vanity, punched her in the chest, and pushed his elbow into her throat.— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The screenplay, written by Samy Burch, is inspired by a 1990 The New Yorker article that imagines a legal case against Acme.— Kennedy French, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
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People too often imagine the Church as having played second fiddle in colonial history, jumping on opportunities opened up by the actions of kings, navigators, and merchants.— Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Near the end of this complex six-hundred-page book, Yamashita switches to a collective pronoun, suggesting that a common dream has connected her characters.— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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For aspiring writers scrolling through deal announcements on industry sites or social media, those vague labels can fuel both dreams and misconceptions.— Josh Rivera, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And since all seven of us have had a solo career, everyone’s individual ego is stronger now.— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026
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Mulligan, who similarly usually gives off a warm presence onscreen, is icy and sharp here, her Lindsay stuck up and miserable in the life she's made for herself but completely trapped by her own ego and selfishness.— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Rowen project was first envisioned more than 20 years ago and involved a prolonged campaign to acquire the land, rezone it and invest in infrastructure.— Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026
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In 1949, Arthur Miller envisioned the American Dream as a kind of spiritual opioid crisis — a profitable system of addiction, this one to a beautiful lie, that was literally killing people.— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Wellington, New Zealand — Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers.— CBS News, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
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Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers.— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conceit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/conceit. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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