self-righteous

adjective

self-righ·​teous ˌself-ˈrī-chəs 

: convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic

self-righteously adverb

self-righteousness noun

Examples of self-righteous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But recent years have marked a subtle shift from self-righteous battles over reputation to less principled conflicts over branding control, like when Kanye West disowned his participation in Coodie & Chike’s 2022 documentary Jeen-Yuhs because he was denied final cut. —Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024

His parents, one a co-leader in the 1980s of South Central’s Black-Korean Coalition, the other a union organizer, push back on his self-righteous idealism. —Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024

Dillahunt will play modern cowboy William Macon, a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024

The Bartlet staff’s righteous (and self-righteous) elocution might seem — to the cynical — sentimental, treacly, smarmy, or just eye-roll-inducingly dumb. —Lizzie Logan, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1680, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

self-righteous

adjective

self-righ·​teous

ˈsel-ˈfrī-chəs

: strongly convinced of the rightness of one's actions or beliefs

self-righteously adverb

self-righteousness noun