sanctimony

sanc·ti·mo·ny | \ ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌmō-nē

How to pronounce sanctimony (audio)

\

plural sanctimonies

Definition of sanctimony

1 obsolete : holiness

2 : affected or hypocritical holiness

Examples of sanctimony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Dabo Swinney would do well to keep his sanctimony, and his medical opinions, to himself. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Dabo Swinney's criticism of Florida State not only wrong, it's reckless," 23 Nov. 2020 You were taught that in school, and it was written in textbooks, the sanctimony of the free market, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, which referred and still refers to Indians as merciless savages. — New York Times, "PAoLO giordano," 8 July 2020 This sanctimony might be easier to swallow if Lewis weren’t on record supporting all of the voter empowerment measures Merrill opposes, especially automatic registration. — Kyle Whitmire, al, "The John Merrill Show is on again. Somebody change the channel.," 22 Apr. 2020 Neither of those dishes comes with a hint of sanctimony, or even of prescription; in fact, the menu suggests adding crispy (real) chicken to the salad. — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, "Golden Diner Updates the Greasy-Spoon Tradition," 19 Oct. 2019 The sanctimony here over players being able to profit is suffocating. — BostonGlobe.com, "California’s Fair Pay to Play Act was signed into law," 20 Oct. 2019 Morrissey’s Dylan cover reminds us that part of the bard’s unfortunate legacy is that despite his genius and talent, his mostly liberal political focus has encouraged unbridled sanctimony among his followers. — Armond White, National Review, "Morrissey’s California Son Makes Protest Music Personal," 5 June 2019 Such is the reality The Boys reveals behind the idolatry: greed and grift and outright homicide, all the while preaching exceptionalism and sanctimony to the outside world. — Peter Rubin, WIRED, "Amazon's The Boys Tests the Limits of Superhero Fatigue," 26 July 2019 There are laughs, but the prevalent tone is one of discreet compassion, without condescension or sanctimony. — Patrick Friel, Chicago Reader, "Film Five must-see heist films," 29 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sanctimony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about sanctimony

Dictionary Entries near sanctimony

Statistics for sanctimony

Last Updated

3 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sanctimony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctimony. Accessed 22 Jan. 2021.

WORD OF THE DAY

sarcophagus

Listen to the pronunciation of sarcophagus

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times

What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.