Sanctimonious: meaning, definitions and examples

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sanctimonious

 

[ ˌsæŋk.tɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

character trait

Feigning piety or righteousness; pretending to be morally superior to others.

Synonyms

hypocritical, pious, self-righteous

Examples of usage

  • He was always making sanctimonious remarks about how others should live their lives.
  • The politician's sanctimonious behavior was transparent to the public.
  • Don't be so sanctimonious, we all have our flaws.

Translations

Translations of the word "sanctimonious" in other languages:

🇵🇹 santurrão

🇮🇳 पाखंडी

🇩🇪 scheinheilig

🇮🇩 munafik

🇺🇦 лицемірний

🇵🇱 świętoszkowaty

🇯🇵 偽善的な

🇫🇷 santimoneux

🇪🇸 santurrón

🇹🇷 sahte dindar

🇰🇷 위선적인

🇸🇦 منافق

🇨🇿 svatouškovský

🇸🇰 svätuškársky

🇨🇳 伪善的

🇸🇮 svetohlinški

🇮🇸 hræsinn

🇰🇿 екіжүзді

🇬🇪 ცრუ მორწმუნე

🇦🇿 ikiüzlü

🇲🇽 santurrón

Etymology

The word 'sanctimonious' originated from the Latin word 'sanctimonia' meaning holiness or sacredness. Over time, the term evolved to describe someone who acts morally superior or righteous. The negative connotation of sanctimonious behavior has been prevalent throughout history, often associated with hypocrisy and insincerity.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,108 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.