Vanity Fair

noun

1. (in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress ) a fair that goes on perpetually in the town of Vanity and symbolizes worldly ostentation and frivolity.
2. (often lowercase) any place or group, as the world or fashionable society, characterized by or displaying a preoccupation with idle pleasures or ostentation.
3. (italics) a novel (1847–48) by Thackeray.

Vanity Fair

noun

1. literary.
   often not capitals the social life of a community, esp of a great city, or the world in general, considered as symbolizing worldly frivolity

Vanity Fair

1. (1847–1848) A novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. The leading character is Becky Sharp, an unscrupulous woman who gains wealth and influence by her cleverness.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Vanity Fair¹

from Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

Example Sentences

None of it’s happening,” she told Vanity Fair in an interview published Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s very disheartening to see women tear other women down, especially when women who are successful in other avenues of their industry see younger talent working really hard,” Sweeney said in Vanity Fair’s 2025 Hollywood issue.

From Los Angeles Times

Asked about the incident for the latest issue of Vanity Fair, Sweeney said: "It’s very disheartening to see women tear other women down, especially when women who are successful in other avenues of their industry see younger talent working really hard - hoping to achieve whatever dreams that they may have - and then trying to bash and discredit any work that they’ve done."

From BBC

In a recent chat with Vanity Fair, Kidman veered away from details pertaining to her role in the A24 erotic thriller to discuss her wish list of directors and producers she has yet to work with but would like to.

From Salon

They do not often discuss their relationship, but Zendaya was asked by Vanity Fair whether it was weird acting opposite each other.

From BBC