as in smug
disapproving
having or showing the annoying attitude of people who believe that they are morally better than other people
a holier-than-thou attitude
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Recent Examples of holier-than-thou
WalletHub made sure that no state walked away feeling entirely holier-than-thou.
—
Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Aug. 2025
After all, Bill can be a buzzkill, and the Hills’ other neighbors, such as the conspiratorial Dale Gribble across the alley and the holier-than-thou Minh and Kahn Souphanousinphone next door, are flawed too.
—Adrienne Matei, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2025
And Velia Martínez, who played the Spanish-speaking, holier-than-thou grandmother set in her ways, was born in Tampa, fluent in English and a longtime actress in Mexico and Cuba.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
Laurie, now adopting her own holier-than-thou perch, is just as bad.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Phillip, Portland, Ore. A: Unlike baseball, with some of its holier-than-thou decisions with its Hall of Fame, the Basketball Hall of Fame largely looks at career on-court achievements.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2025
The story prompted an uproar from fans of Michigan’s Big Ten opponents, who saw Harbaugh as a cheater and Michigan’s holier-than-thou image as a fraud, and urged commissioner Tony Petitti to take action.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024
In scenes together, Cooke’s arch line deliveries and holier-than-thou smirks spark against D’Arcy’s regal defensiveness and cool anger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 June 2024
Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Aug. 2025
After all, Bill can be a buzzkill, and the Hills’ other neighbors, such as the conspiratorial Dale Gribble across the alley and the holier-than-thou Minh and Kahn Souphanousinphone next door, are flawed too.
—Adrienne Matei, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2025
And Velia Martínez, who played the Spanish-speaking, holier-than-thou grandmother set in her ways, was born in Tampa, fluent in English and a longtime actress in Mexico and Cuba.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
Laurie, now adopting her own holier-than-thou perch, is just as bad.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Phillip, Portland, Ore. A: Unlike baseball, with some of its holier-than-thou decisions with its Hall of Fame, the Basketball Hall of Fame largely looks at career on-court achievements.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2025
The story prompted an uproar from fans of Michigan’s Big Ten opponents, who saw Harbaugh as a cheater and Michigan’s holier-than-thou image as a fraud, and urged commissioner Tony Petitti to take action.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024
In scenes together, Cooke’s arch line deliveries and holier-than-thou smirks spark against D’Arcy’s regal defensiveness and cool anger.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holier-than-thou
Adjective
-
Colum’s smug assurance that the wedding will happen soon is rocked when Ned shows up with news of the Grants’ suspicions about the raid.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Howard sells his smug malice, digging into Matt in a way no one has before until the whole thing devolves into a physical fight.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Sylvias have expressed some reservations about how cavalier Boy Kavalier has been toward the hybrids’ mental and physical health.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Other breeds on the list include Tibetan mastiff, spinone Italiano, cavalier king Charles spniel, Chinese crested, and dogue de Bordeaux, among the most popular.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
City officials sounded boastful about it.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
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Being praised too openly can be seen as boastful, even if the employee never asked for the attention.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The United States might start to see itself as others do—self-righteous, hypocritical, futile—tire of its own platitudes and lies, and consider a change.—
Hussein Agha,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
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But Democrats want someone who fights back rather than gives self-righteous marathon speeches or just fades away.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Zane played the arrogant Cal Hockley, who was engaged to Jack's love interest, Rose (played by Kate Winslet).—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Hardly seems like enough to cow these arrogant companies into behaving, especially when their business model is so intrinsically tied to hoovering up other people’s information and creative work.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, is the most moralistic young person in her household (and the most ignored).—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
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What matters is a heavy focus on aesthetic and moralistic perfection.—
Olivia Crandall,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holier-than-thou.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holier-than-thou. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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