as in moralistic
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Recent Examples of pharisaical
Lists are no substitute for criticism, but those who take them as inimical to criticism are pharisaical.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2022
David and Samuel explore the U.S. energy sector and evaluate what the future holds in an ESG landscape that has done its very best to bring economic incoherence to its pharisaical agenda.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Jan. 2022
Yet Marlin makes clear that excommunication was never a real threat but rather one that Cuomo shrewdly used to turn himself into a victim of pharisaical bishops.
—Vincent J. Cannato, National Review, 7 Nov. 2020
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2022
David and Samuel explore the U.S. energy sector and evaluate what the future holds in an ESG landscape that has done its very best to bring economic incoherence to its pharisaical agenda.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Jan. 2022
Yet Marlin makes clear that excommunication was never a real threat but rather one that Cuomo shrewdly used to turn himself into a victim of pharisaical bishops.
—Vincent J. Cannato, National Review, 7 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pharisaical
Adjective
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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,
New York Daily News,
20 Mar. 2025
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The United States has flipped from a moralistic benefactor to a transactional predator of Kyiv’s resources.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
24 Feb. 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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As the emboldened queen is beheaded, King Henry is seen preparing to wed his third wife, the pious and soft-spoken Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips).—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2025
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Initially, Assad tried to appease this religious opposition by presenting himself as a pious Muslim.—
Sefa Secen / Made by History,
TIME,
17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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After Wednesday’s speech, some critics went online to accuse the governor of being hypocritical for making that charge against Trump in light of his pandemic actions.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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Phil Lyman, a former state representative and Trump supporter who challenged Mr. Cox for governor last year, said politicians like Mr. Cox were hypocritical.—
Kellen Browning,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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William is a self-righteous and conspiracy-minded and ruthlessly ambitious man who hides his darker side behind a charming facade.—
Rick Porter,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Mar. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Laurie, now adopting her own holier-than-thou perch, is just as bad.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Trump must be laughing about Newsom’s obviously insincere flattery and being able to make the governor jump through his hoops.—
Dan Walters,
The Mercury News,
26 Feb. 2025
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Even insincere inquiries are generally appreciated.—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Those suspects include the bartender (Gabrielle Ryan), a sad sack of a man on a blind date (Reed Diamond), an imperious hostess (Sarah McCormack), and an unctuous, boozy piano player (Ed Weeks).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2025
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The maguey imparts a subtly vegetal flavor, and cooks reserve just enough fat so that each bite of meat is unctuous.—
Edmund Tijerina,
Bon Appétit,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pharisaical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pharisaical. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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