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Sanctimoniously: meaning, definitions and examples

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sanctimoniously

 

[ ˌsæŋk.tɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs.li ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

moral superiority

Sanctimoniously means in a way that shows you feel morally superior to other people. It often involves a self-righteous or hypocritical display of piety or virtue. This term is typically used in a negative context to describe someone's behavior that is pretentious or insincere in their moral stance.

Synonyms

hypocritically, piously, self-righteously.

Examples of usage

  • She sanctimoniously lectured us about the importance of honesty while she was lying.
  • He sanctimoniously criticized others for their spending habits, despite his own debt.
  • The politician spoke sanctimoniously about environmental issues while ignoring his own party's contributions to pollution.

Translations

Translations of the word "sanctimoniously" in other languages:

🇵🇹 santimoniosamente

🇮🇳 धर्मिक रूप से

🇩🇪 heuchlerisch

🇮🇩 suci-suci

🇺🇦 святенницьки

🇵🇱 świętoszkowato

🇯🇵 聖職者のように

🇫🇷 de manière saintement

🇪🇸 santimoniosamente

🇹🇷 ikiyüzlü bir şekilde

🇰🇷 신성하게

🇸🇦 بشكل قديس

🇨🇿 svatouškovsky

🇸🇰 svätosvátnym spôsobom

🇨🇳 伪善地

🇸🇮 svetniško

🇮🇸 heilagleika

🇰🇿 святенниктік

🇬🇪 წმინდანურად

🇦🇿 müqəddəs şəkildə

🇲🇽 santimoniosamente

Etymology

The word 'sanctimoniously' has its roots in the Latin word 'sanctimonia,' which means 'holiness' or 'sacredness.' This term was derived from 'sanctus,' meaning 'holy.' It began appearing in the English language in the late 19th century, often used to describe behavior that is marked by a false display of holiness or virtue. Typically associated with a tone of moral superiority, 'sanctimoniously' is used to critique individuals who profess high moral standards while engaging in behavior that contradicts those standards. The prefix 'sanct-' indicates a connection to moral or religious righteousness, while the suffix '-ly' denotes the adverbial form, thus emphasizing the manner in which this hypocritical behavior is exhibited. Over time, this term has been employed in various literary and rhetorical contexts to highlight the gap between proclaimed ethics and actual conduct.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,905, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.