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
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Recent Examples of self-righteous
Hellbent on destroying the pure, chaste and overly self-righteous preacher who denied her satisfaction, Salome performs a seductive dance at her stepfather Herod’s birthday feast.
—
E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Her character is annoyingly self-righteous, but also very attractive and seemingly interested in David.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
But her cause, once mocked as intolerant and self-righteous, has been revived by members of today’s conservative Christian movement who warn that homosexuality is a threat to children.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
Teddy descends into cruel, self-righteous paranoia, quickly alienating his family — to say nothing of the Maine electorate — in a bid to regain control of his campaign and life.
—Joumana Khatib, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Her character is annoyingly self-righteous, but also very attractive and seemingly interested in David.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
But her cause, once mocked as intolerant and self-righteous, has been revived by members of today’s conservative Christian movement who warn that homosexuality is a threat to children.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2025
Teddy descends into cruel, self-righteous paranoia, quickly alienating his family — to say nothing of the Maine electorate — in a bid to regain control of his campaign and life.
—Joumana Khatib, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-righteous
Adjective
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Each letter comes across as a set piece, a small achievement of style and tone: Vasari’s flowery, deferential missives to the duke, Maria’s youthful ardor and confusion, the overly pious cattiness of a nun.—
Chelsea Leu,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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For pious viewers who may traditionally shy away from the horror genre, The Bondsman may surprise with some very tender and spiritual moments.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the second half becomes increasingly generic conspiracy stuff, leading to a two-part conclusion that’s more smug and sanctimonious than the preceding action can justify.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Nov. 2024
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The Byzantines wrote an amoral flexibility into their system, despite its putative religiosity—a realistic approach that has become more difficult to accomplish in the United States, partly owing to the power of a sanctimonious media establishment.—
Robert D. Kaplan,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Oct. 2022
Adjective
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The cruelty of his dishonest sham, founded on disdain for the autistic community and aimed at parents of autistic children, defies decency.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2025
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Blanketing our communities with descriptions that focus solely on crime is dishonest and hinders our efforts to achieve peace, especially those of us who have survived the unthinkable loss of a loved one to murder.—
Clementina Chery,
Boston Herald,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the moralistic sneer didn’t take long to enter the postgame analysis.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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The story is predictably moralistic and, frankly, more worried about conforming to contemporary mores than accurately representing what was going on in Cuba in the 1950s, dramatically speaking anyway.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Forbes reported that the relationship between Natalia and the Mans family became strained in 2023, the same year the couple officially adopted her.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Overtourism is a serious concern, particularly for smaller ports, where large crowds can have a significant impact, leading to strained infrastructure and affecting local quality of life.—
Jessica Benavides Canepa,
AFAR Media,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In both cases, the criticism is not completely superficial.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
14 Apr. 2025
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The two who were shot suffered what police called superficial wounds and were hospitalized for their injuries.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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What to Know Condemning Western criticism of Iran's military development as hypocritical, Khamenei stressed the importance of both physical and psychological warfare, according to state media.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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Republicans, meanwhile, have suggested Democrats are being hypocritical about Musk’s involvement, noting that liberals like Pritzker and Soros are also wading into the race.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Last year the state comptroller ordered a forced audit of Dolton finances, ultimately assigning an outside firm to conduct audits after Dolton was unable to find an auditor willing to take on the job.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
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Despite a brief uptick in global prices in late March, Russian energy revenues fell 17% year-over-year in March to $12.8 billion, hit by forced discounts, stronger ruble performance, and sanctions.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-righteous. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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