Meaning & use
sanctimonious
Making a show of moral superiority or piety while being hypocritical or insincere.
See it in a sentence
His sanctimonious lecture about honesty was ironic, since he had lied himself.
She hated the sanctimonious tone people took whenever they discussed her diet.
A note on using this word
Sanctimonious is always negative, implying that someone's display of virtue is fake or self-serving rather than genuine.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
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