adj
sanctimonious
sangk-tih-MOH-nee-uhs
adj
1
Acting as though one is morally superior to others, especially in a smug or hypocritical way.
"His sanctimonious lecture on honesty rang hollow, given his own track record."
"She hated the sanctimonious tone of the email, as if the sender never made mistakes."
How to Use Sanctimonious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPreachy and self-righteous — putting on a show of being more virtuous than everyone else.
Common mistake
Almost always negative — don't use it to genuinely praise someone's piety.
Common pairings
sanctimonious tone
sanctimonious lecture
Word Forms
more sanctimonious comparative, most sanctimonious superlative
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His _____ lecture on honesty rang hollow, given his own track record.
Etymology
From "sanctimony" (an outward show of holiness) plus the adjective ending "-ous."