vanity
gb/vˈænɪti/ us/vˈænɪti/
B1
Anglais
~ 3100
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B2
state
1
excessive self-pride
When someone thinks they look very good or are very important, too much.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone]'s vanity
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'vanity' with 'vanities' meaning 'bathroom cabinet', which is unrelated to pride.
Synonymes
conceit (Slightly more formal and often used for arrogance about intellect or ability.)
Antonymes
humility (Represents a modest opinion of one's own importance, the opposite of vanity.)
Collocations
personal vanity
|pure vanity
|out of vanity
|flattered vanity
|hurt vanity
Thèmes
emotions
|personality
|social
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Her vanity made her spend hours in front of the mirror.
- The actor's vanity was well known in the industry.
- He joined the competition out of pure vanity.
- Her vanity prevented her from admitting she was wrong.
- His injured vanity led to a heated argument.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She is full of vanity about her looks.
- His vanity makes him talk about himself a lot.
- Her vanity stops her from saying sorry.
- He bought a big car from vanity.
- Vanity made her post many photos online.
Nom
B1
entity
2
dressing table or sink cabinet
A table with a mirror for getting ready, or a bathroom cabinet with a sink.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think 'vanity' always means pride; in home contexts it often means furniture.
Synonymes
dressing table (Used mainly for the bedroom version; does not refer to bathroom units.)
Collocations
bathroom vanity
|makeup vanity
|vanity unit
|vanity table
Thèmes
home
|furniture
|daily life
|housing
|daily_life
Exemples
- She placed her makeup neatly on the vanity.
- They installed a new marble-top vanity in the bathroom.
- Her jewelry box sat on the corner of the vanity.
- The bathroom vanity has two sinks.
- He built a custom wooden vanity for the guest room.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She puts her makeup on at the vanity.
- We got a new vanity for the bathroom.
- Her brush is on the vanity.
- The vanity has many drawers.
- He cleans the vanity every day.
Nom
literary
C1
state
3
worthlessness; futility
The feeling that something has no meaning or value.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse this literary sense with personal pride; context usually shows it refers to futility.
Synonymes
futility (Focuses on the pointlessness of an action or thing.)
Antonymes
value (Represents worth or significance, opposite to worthlessness.)
Collocations
the vanity of life
|sheer vanity
|vanity of human wishes
Thèmes
philosophy
|life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He reflected on the vanity of wealth and power.
- The book contemplates the vanity of human ambition.
- She saw the project as sheer vanity.
- Philosophers have long debated the vanity of earthly pursuits.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He thought about the vanity of money.
- She feels her work is full of vanity.
- The story talks about the vanity of dreams.
- He saw the vanity in fighting again.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
vanity
API
GB/vˈænɪti/
US/vˈænɪti/
Syllabes et accentuation
van - ity (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (van)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: vanity
- Plural: vanities, vanity
Famille de mots
Expressions
for vanity's sake
1/fɚ vˈænɪtiz sˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
for personal pride or looks
Doing something only because you care about how you look or seem to others.
Exemples
- He refused to wear glasses for vanity's sake.
- She kept silent for vanity's sake, not wanting to admit her mistake.
vanity project
1/vˈænɪti pɹˈɑd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
project for personal pride only
A project someone does to make themselves look good, not because it is needed.
Exemples
- Critics called the new stadium a political vanity project.
- The film was dismissed as a celebrity's vanity project.
in vain
1/ˈɪn vˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
without success or effect
When you try but do not get any result.
Exemples
- They tried to save the building, but it was in vain.
- I searched in vain for my lost keys.
in vain
2/ˈɪn vˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
Without success or uselessly
Without success; not achieving what you want.
Exemples
- I tried in vain to reach her by phone.
- He searched in vain for a solution.