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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sanctimonious¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; sanctimony + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of sanctimonious¹

C17: from Latin sanctimonia sanctity, from sanctus holy

Example Sentences

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

“They don’t care if he dies in solitary confinement. That is obvious. The smug and sanctimonious tenor of their briefing makes that plain. But there is nothing sanctimonious about what is happening to Mr. Kelly.”

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

Carter also had a self-righteousness that could present as starchy and sanctimonious, a trait he exhibited even in his good works once he left the White House.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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