sanctimony

American  

[sangk-tuh-moh-nee] / ˈsæŋk təˌmoʊ ni /

noun

1. pretended, affected, or hypocritical religious devotion, righteousness, etc.

2. Obsolete. sanctity; sacredness.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsanctimony
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sanctimony

First recorded in 1530–40, sanctimony is from the Latin word sānctimōnia holiness. See Sanctus, -mony

Explanation

The annoying trait of acting morally superior to others is called sanctimony. Your brother's sanctimony about being quiet after nine o'clock might make you want to have a loud dance party at midnight. When you find yourself giving an insincere, smug lecture to your friends about the way they should behave or the things they ought to do, you're guilty of sanctimony. Before this word (and its partner, sanctimonious) gained its modern meaning, it was used un-ironically, to mean "virtuousness." It comes from the Latin sanctimonia, "holiness," from the root sanctus, "holy."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sanctimony

Of course, devotion to principle and decorum sometimes hovers close to sanctimony, but there is a human side to Mr. Alexander as well, and even humor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Set in the buttoned-up town of Fallwell, Massachusetts, it’s a fizzy send-up of small-town sanctimony and monster-movie melodrama.

From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2025

It’s hard to come to terms with the fatuous sanctimony of Romney’s argument.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2023

The Economist’s “Schumpeter” columnist notes that sanctimony accompanies such “financial do-goodery.”

From Washington Post ● Jun. 22, 2022

She wrote about the tendency of Nigerian women to give advice, sincere advice dense with sanctimony.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie