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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-righteous
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
Being judgmental was also evaluated very negatively, as it was often perceived as being self-righteous or hypocritical.
—Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
First up is Denzel Washington as a self-righteous former slave whose revenge plans include matching the beastliness of his captors slash for gash, and those depraved co-emperors Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn, whose Kardashian brothers zeal for squeals steals the Colosseum show.
—Steven Gaydos, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
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
Being judgmental was also evaluated very negatively, as it was often perceived as being self-righteous or hypocritical.
—Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
First up is Denzel Washington as a self-righteous former slave whose revenge plans include matching the beastliness of his captors slash for gash, and those depraved co-emperors Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn, whose Kardashian brothers zeal for squeals steals the Colosseum show.
—Steven Gaydos, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for self-righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-righteous
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Perhaps Simpson’s most dishonest claim was that Social Security’s drafters deliberately set the retirement age at 65 because life expectancy in 1935, at the time of enactment, was 63.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Higher-ups and colleagues see through the charade as dishonest.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But the moralistic sneer didn’t take long to enter the postgame analysis.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
The conference illuminated the increasingly strained relationship between Israel and its traditional allies in the West, which have grown uneasy with Israeli politics and the direction of the country’s devastating war in Gaza.—
Julia Frankel and Leo Correa,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Enter left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., who had not pitched in five weeks because of a strained elbow flexor.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Due to its mild alkaline (acid-reducing) effect and abrasive texture, baking soda can help remove superficial stains and reduce bacteria in the mouth.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Health,
27 Mar. 2025
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Her framework moves beyond superficial advice, addressing the root causes of insecurity while offering practical tools for lasting change.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Giulia greets them all with forced enthusiasm, already fraying at the edges.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
-
With its forced bonhomie, the show is neither informative nor engaging.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
The Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-righteous. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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