CEFR C2

sanctimonious

adjective

Meaning

Making a show of being morally superior or holier than other people, often in a hypocritical or insincere way.

Examples

The politician gave a sanctimonious speech about family values just days before his own scandal broke.
I grew tired of her sanctimonious attitude whenever she criticized my lifestyle choices.

Synonyms: pious, self-righteous, hypocritical, holier-than-thou, pharisaical

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sanctimonious (C2)

adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌsæŋktɪˈmoʊniəs/

Definition

Making a show of being morally superior or holier than other people, often in a hypocritical or insincere way.

Examples

The politician gave a sanctimonious speech about family values just days before his own scandal broke.
I grew tired of her sanctimonious attitude whenever she criticized my lifestyle choices.
His sanctimonious tone made it impossible for us to have an honest conversation about our mistakes.

Synonyms of sanctimonious

Words with a similar meaning to sanctimonious:

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