Vanity
/ˈvænɪti/
nounB2
Definition
Vanity is when someone cares a lot about how they look or what others think of them, sometimes more than what really matters. It often means being proud in a way that focuses only on surface things like beauty or success, not deeper qualities.
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⚡ See It in Action
Excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements
- •Her vanity made her spend hours in front of the mirror every day.
- •He bought an expensive car to satisfy his vanity.
- •Vanity can make people focus only on how others see them.
A thing that is empty or without real value (less common, more formal)
- •All his efforts were in vain, a vanity of hopes.
- •The book warns against the vanity of chasing only fame.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "vanity" like "pride," but pride is good or neutral, while vanity is pride that is too much or only about looks and surface things
- ✓Picture someone looking in a mirror for a long time, checking their hair or clothes carefully
- ✓It's the feeling when you want others to admire you for how you look or what you have, sometimes more than for who you really are
- ✓Sounds like "VAN-ity" → Imagine a van full of mirrors, always looking at itself and caring about its own image
- ✓Remember stories where characters are too proud of their beauty or talents and miss what is important inside (like the story of Narcissus)
- ✓NOT like "confidence" (which is healthy belief in yourself), vanity is more about wanting attention and praise for appearance or status
- ✓NOT like "humility" (being modest and not proud), vanity is the opposite, showing too much pride
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Conceit: too much pride in oneself (Use when the pride is more about thinking you are better than others)
- •Narcissism: extreme self-love and focus on oneself (Use when the focus on self is very strong and sometimes unhealthy)
- •Egotism: thinking you are the most important (Use when pride is about importance, not just appearance)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "van-" (from Latin "vanus" meaning empty) + "-ity" (a suffix that turns adjectives into nouns showing a quality)
- •Etymology: From Latin "vanitas" meaning emptiness or futility, later used for pride without real value
- •Historical development: Originally about emptiness or worthlessness, then about pride that is empty or shallow
- •Modern usage: Mostly about too much pride in appearance or success, often seen as negative or shallow
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can vanity ever be positive, or is it always a bad thing? Why?
•How does vanity affect the way people behave in social media today?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.She spent so much time on her vanity ___ that she forgot to prepare for the exam.
2.Vanity often causes people to care more about ___ than their real qualities.
3.Unlike confidence, vanity is about wanting ___ from others for appearance or success.
4.When someone acts out of vanity, they usually want to ___ attention or praise.
5.The story of Narcissus is a famous example of ___ leading to trouble.
6.Vanity can make people ignore ___ that are more important than looks.
7.Celebrities sometimes struggle with vanity because of the ___ they receive.