moralize
verb (used without object)
to reflect on or express opinions about something in terms of right and wrong, especially in a self-righteous or tiresome way.
moralizing
-
present participleof moralize.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mary is a somewhat obscure character, one whom Austen rendered as a less-than-radiant, moralizing afterthought who sang badly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
Eating the rainbow only becomes moralizing if you treat it like a compliance chart.
From Salon ● Feb. 18, 2026
And then there are “family values,” a whole range of social issues usually related to sexual behavior and typically expressed in censorious, moralizing terms.
From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2026
But not Mr. Carney, who passes off conventional wisdom as bold truth-telling and mistakes empty moralizing for statesmanship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
President Truman, who felt he had shown a valorous decisiveness in ordering the bombs to be dropped, had no tolerance for retrospective moralizing.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
