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View synonyms for sanctimonious

sanctimonious

[ sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uhs ]

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.


sanctimonious

/ ˌsæŋktɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

  1. affecting piety or making a display of holiness
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˌsanctiˈmoniously, adverb
  • ˌsanctiˈmoniousness, noun
  • ˈsanctimony, noun
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Other Words From

  • sancti·moni·ous·ly adverb
  • sancti·moni·ous·ness noun
  • nonsanc·ti·moni·ous adjective
  • nonsanc·ti·moni·ous·ly adverb
  • nonsanc·ti·moni·ous·ness noun
  • unsanc·ti·moni·ous adjective
  • unsanc·ti·moni·ous·ly adverb
  • unsanc·ti·moni·ous·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sanctimonious1

First recorded in 1595–1605; sanctimony + -ous
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sanctimonious1

C17: from Latin sanctimonia sanctity, from sanctus holy
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Example Sentences

I suspect other people in the group may see him as sanctimonious, too.

My son's father-in-law told me, in a text message to a family group, to “not be so sanctimonious.”

The sanctimonious, the puritans of all stripes, and the killjoys in general raise the issue annually.

It is a sanctimonious doctor show combined with a sanctimonious mob drama—and misses the core of the profession.

One purported fan blogged a review calling the interlude “an interminable and sanctimonious speech.”

Other terms for Santorum: “religious,” “sanctimonious,” and “God-talker.”

The pious, sanctimonious Oscar ceremony is how Hollywood wants to see itself.

This contriver of miracles, of a countenance at once sanctimonious, artful and sly, preceded other prelates carrying banners.

Just keep up your sanctimonious appearance and stick to your Deacon story, and you'll git off.

If he was remorseful, so was she; she never wanted to see his sanctimonious face again.

Most learned, fair, and sanctimonious Princess—Plague, what comes next?

Of the sanctimonious tone we may say that it has its reward in the almost universal contempt it provokes.

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