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conceit
[kuhn-seet]
noun
an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
Synonyms: , , ,Antonyms:something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea.
He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours.
imagination; fancy.
a fancy; whim; fanciful notion.
an elaborate, fanciful metaphor, especially of a strained or far-fetched nature.
the use of such metaphors as a literary characteristic, especially in poetry.
a fancy, purely decorative article.
British Dialect.
favorable opinion; esteem.
personal opinion or estimation.
Obsolete.the faculty of conceiving; apprehension.
verb (used with object)
to flatter (especially oneself ).
British Dialect.to take a fancy to; have a good opinion of.
Obsolete.
to imagine.
to conceive; apprehend.
conceit
/ əˈː /
noun
a high, often exaggerated, opinion of oneself or one's accomplishments; vanity
literaryan elaborate image or far-fetched comparison, esp as used by the English Metaphysical poets
archaic
a witty expression
fancy; imagination
an idea
obsoletea small ornament
verb
dialectto like or be able to bear (something, such as food or drink)
obsoleteto think or imagine
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of conceit1
Idioms and Phrases
out of conceit with, displeased or dissatisfied with.
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
The scene at the so-called “kitsch-en,” for instance, wonderfully captures Willis’ commitment to playfulness as a central design conceit — something all too rare in a world often dressed in basic neutrals.
Like the film’s central conceit, it’s about making magic out of the mundane.
Inserting reality into this conceit was never the point, in the same way that the true opponents in this hypothetical contest are certain types of men battling their insecurities.
With an art show, there’s more of a vacuum between him and the audience, yet the conceit remains: the show is meant to be funny.
takes this novel past conceit to commentary lies in its exploration of interiority among all of the characters, not simply the suspected women, but those who observe, accuse and fear.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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