self-righteous

adjective

self-righ·​teous ˌself-ˈrī-chəs How to pronounce self-righteous (audio)
: convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic
self-righteously adverb
self-righteousness noun

Examples of self-righteous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
How The Dividing Sky is different: The self-righteous rookie sent to arrest the main character falls in love with her in this thrilling enemies-to-lovers romance. Rebecca Dazenbaker, People.com, 15 July 2025 There have been woke activists with a very narrow, self-righteous point of view. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 July 2025 Socially engaged cinema of this kind gets a bad rap these days; it is seen as old and tired or, worse still, superior and self-righteous. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 23 May 2025 There’s nothing preachy or self-righteous about Frank’s writing. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-righteous

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1680, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-righteous was circa 1680

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Cite this Entry

“Self-righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-righteous. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-righteous

adjective
self-righ·​teous
ˈsel-ˈfrī-chəs
: strongly convinced of the rightness of one's actions or beliefs
self-righteously adverb
self-righteousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on self-righteous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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