as in pious
disapproving
having or showing a strong belief that your own actions, opinions, etc., are right and other people's are wrong
a self-righteous tone It's OK to criticize, but don't get self-righteous about it.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of self-righteous
Nauseatingly innocent and a self-righteous killjoy, April seems to have existed solely for the purpose of making everyone else on Grey's Anatomy look worlds more interesting.
—
Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
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
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
The thing that’s going to stick in people’s craw is, yes, the self-righteous theatrics of the extremely online are ripe for mockery.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
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
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
The thing that’s going to stick in people’s craw is, yes, the self-righteous theatrics of the extremely online are ripe for mockery.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-righteous
Adjective
-
All of this is impressive enough, but there are tales that the bible was written in a single night by none other than the Dark Lord himself, not a pious scribe.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Dec. 2025
-
The suspects may seem pious, but which of them committed the ultimate sin of murder?—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
13 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
This book exists, in other words, in order for Karp to have written a book … The book is filled with this sort of sanctimonious guff.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Dec. 2025
-
Advertisement For those of us who’ve historically found Stause to be sanctimonious, passive-aggressive, and prone to playing the victim, there’s plenty in both her post and her behavior throughout the reunion to support that view.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Multiple points of validation will help combat dishonest applicants, DEED Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe told lawmakers at the time.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Thai Diner Yes, Thai Diner is technically in NoLita, but leaving it out would feel even more dishonest.—
Molly Barstein,
Vogue,
18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
To rebuild a consensus, politicians must thus appeal to these swing voters by eschewing moralistic and globalist rhetoric.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
-
The sanitized relationships and moralistic comeuppances that characterize classic-Hollywood movies falsified private life in their own time and enduringly distort the past; a tale such as Crawford’s should dispel nostalgia for bygone days and the myth of their orderly decorum.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Interactions with his wife’s family remain strained; to this day, no one has told 99-year-old Nana that Webster was in prison.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
That reunion marked the first time that the father and son had seen each other in 19 months amid their strained relationship.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And to folks unfamiliar with the IP system, that makes some superficial sense.—
David J. Kappos,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Whether opting for a superficial peel like a lactic or glycolic acid, a medium-depth peel such as Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA), or deep treatment such as phenol, a chemical peel can address many skin concerns.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His fall played as tabloid morality tale, at once confirming secular suspicion about hypocritical Christians and Christian suspicions about the temptations of secular trappings.—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
-
And now, with several countries withdrawing from global governance, Jin thinks those lecturing China on being responsible are being hypocritical.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
14 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Now, a federal indictment charges Peña Lopez and Correa Peña with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, according to prosecutors.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Avoid sharp or forced motions, and keep good posture to prevent injury.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-righteous. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share