What does conceited mean?
Conceited is an adjective describing someone with an excessively high opinion of themselves — their abilities, appearance, or importance. A conceited person is not merely confident but vainly and unjustifiably so, often showing off or assuming others admire them as much as they admire themselves. The word carries a strongly negative connotation and is used critically, usually in informal speech: 'He's too conceited to apologize.' It sits alongside synonyms like arrogant, vain, and egotistical, though conceited particularly suggests self-admiration rather than aggression toward others. Its opposite is humble or modest. The word derives from 'conceit,' which originally meant a concept or idea; by the seventeenth century, a person full of fanciful notions about their own worth came to be called conceited. Because self-regard is a recurring theme in literature, satire, and everyday judgment of character, conceited remains a common and useful word for describing vanity in its mildest, most personal form.
adjectiveExcessively proud of oneself; having an exaggeratedly high opinion of one's own abilities, appearance, or importance.
- Having an excessively high opinion of oneself; vain and arrogant
"He was so conceited that he assumed everyone at the party wanted to hear about his promotion."
"She's brilliant, but she can be rather conceited about it."
"No one liked the conceited new manager who took credit for the whole team's work."
A 'conceit' was once simply an idea — but by the 1600s, someone full of clever ideas about themselves had become 'conceited,' and the insult stuck ever since.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of conceited
Conceited derives from 'conceit,' which entered English in the late Middle Ages from the Latin concipere ('to take in, conceive'), via Old French conceivre. Originally a neutral noun meaning an idea, concept, or mental image, 'conceit' gradually acquired the sense of an overfanciful opinion — especially a flattering one about oneself. By the early seventeenth century, the adjective conceited had developed its modern sense: full of such self-flattering notions. The same Latin root gives English conceive, deceive, receive, and perceive.
How conceited is actually used
Conceited is a negative term in both British and American English, typically used in informal and everyday contexts. It implies not just confidence but an unwarranted, irritating self-regard; calling someone conceited is always critical. It is slightly more conversational than 'arrogant' or 'egotistical' and often applied to attitudes about looks, talent, or achievements.
Easily confused with conceited
Conceived is the past tense of the verb conceive (to imagine or become pregnant), while conceited is an adjective meaning excessively proud.