SELF-RIGHTEOUS Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

self-righteous

adjective

Definition of self-righteous

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.

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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 Democrats who want to be self-righteous about their MAGA relatives, or sit back in their plush armchairs and diagnose Biden as being senile and blame his aides for hiding it, need to wake up. — Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026 There is nothing worse than a self-righteous Big J journalist. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 This admission is met with varying levels of shock and dismay from her three companions, ranging from nervous equivocation from her fiancé to self-righteous anger from Rachel. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Apr. 2026 The only certainty in these films is that the self-righteous Optimus Prime will always preach some long-winded, sleep-inducing monologue at the end of the movie before a radio-friendly Linkin Park or Imagine Dragons song blares over the credits. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-righteous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-righteous

Adjective

But the overall picture of religious infighting in 1640s Britain is essential to understanding how some people, especially poorer folk and especially women, found themselves on the wrong side of powerful, pious opponents.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Romania is one of the most pious countries in the European Union, with around 85% of the population identifying as religious.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of pious

Adjective

The thing is, McEnany, co-creator Tim Mason, and a team of executive producers that included Lilly Wachowski as well as Sweeney immediately subvert any expectation of a sanctimonious or self-serious exploration of identity.

— Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
This, rather than sanctimonious display, is what should motivate Christians.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of sanctimonious

Adjective

Denigrating the relationship—deciding, for instance, that the rejecter was evil, dishonest, unworthy of your respect or time— devalues your own history, in effect consigning the whole relationship to the trash bin.

— George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
Only someone very comfortable, or very dishonest, would pretend the fantasy has no appeal.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dishonest

Adjective

Thou Shalt Not Steal, which launches on October 6, is a coming-of-age, roadtrip, moralistic odyssey about the lies people tell themselves and each other.

— Peter White, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
If the senator’s moralism has been unfettered by his stroke, with a shift toward right-brain moralistic processing, that does not diminish his sincere intent or its effect.

— Michael P.H. Stanley, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of moralistic

Adjective

Faith and family healing Practical communication strategies can be valuable when relationships become strained.

— Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
For too long, Washington failed to enforce our immigration laws, and the resulting chaos overwhelmed communities and strained resources nationwide.

— Don Bacon, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of strained

Adjective

And members of these new churches were mostly not the black-dressed, hypocritical, sour-faced, monocultural figures favored by popular narrative, but often included colorful figures who were sometimes surprisingly modern in their desires.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake.

— Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of hypocritical

Adjective

The most recent tariff was launched as part of a broader global campaign targeting trading partners Washington says have failed to restrict forced labor.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of forced

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“Self-righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-righteous. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of self-righteous

adjective

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