sanctimonious

American  

[sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uhs] / ˌsæŋk təˈmoʊ ni əs /

adjective

1. making a hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness, etc..

   They resented his sanctimonious comments on immorality in America.

2. Obsolete. holy; sacred.

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sanctimonious British  

/ ˌsæŋktɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

1. affecting piety or making a display of holiness

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Other Word Forms

• nonsanctimonious adjective
• nonsanctimoniously adverb
• nonsanctimoniousness noun
• sanctimoniously adverb
• sanctimoniousness noun
• sanctimony noun
• unsanctimonious adjective
• unsanctimoniously adverb
• unsanctimoniousness noun

Etymology

Origin of sanctimonious

First recorded in 1595–1605; sanctimony + -ous

Example Sentences

But Lucy Theo, a psychotherapist, counsellor and mother is urging parents to resist the "sanctimonious" idea that screens are inherently harmful.

From BBC

And their sanctimonious approach to history becomes very tiresome very quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal

I dig that kind of culpability: a film that doesn’t point sanctimonious fingers but insists we’re all to blame.

From Los Angeles Times

Straughan’s writing deftly considers the moral crises we’re steeped in today without feeling preachy, which is a considerable achievement given that a film about faith is the perfect excuse to be sanctimonious.

From Salon

"It would be so sanctimonious without any humour in it."

From BBC

Related Words

• hypocritical
• insincere
• pious
• self-satisfied
• smug
• stuffy