Vainglorious
hardNegative tonevayn-GLOR-ee-us
adjective
Definition
Excessively proud of oneself or one's achievements; boastful
Memory hook
VAIN + GLORIOUS: taking VAIN (empty) GLORY in yourself — boastful pride about nothing real.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The vainglorious general boasted of his victories.”
“His vainglorious speeches alienated listeners.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The ______ general boasted of his victories.”
Show answer
vainglorious
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Vainglorious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "boastful" or "conceited" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "humble".
Related GRE Words
narcissistic
Having an excessive interest in oneself and one's appearance
pretentious
Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance than actually possessed
bombastic
High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated or pretentious language
grandiloquent
pompous or inflated in language; using lofty, bombastic speech
egotistical
Excessively conceited or self-centered
grandiose
Impressive or magnificent but often exaggerated or pretentious
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