censoriousness
Tendency to condemn
Censoriousness is the quality of being quick to criticize and find fault.
A censorious person habitually judges others harshly, often with moral disapproval: Her censoriousness made everyone in the office feel watched and evaluated.
The word carries negative connotations—it suggests criticism that is excessive, unwelcome, or self-righteous rather than constructive.
Inclined to criticize others
- faultfindingSeeking out imperfections
- hypercriticalExcessively prone to censure
- captiousGiven to petty criticism
- carpingTrivial persistent criticism
nitpicking · caviling · overcritical · pedantic · quibbling · hairsplitting · picayune · persnickety
Excessively strict about morals
- prudishExcessively concerned with propriety
- priggishSmugly self-righteous
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
- self-righteousSmugly certain of correctness
preachy · holier-than-thou · strait-laced · Victorian · bluenosed · disapprobation · finger-wagging · moralizing
Expressing severe disapproval
- reproachfulShowing blame or disappointment
- disparagingExpressing negative judgment
- disdainfulShowing open contempt
- scornfulShowing open contempt
deprecating · belittling · derogatory · demeaning · contemptuous · sneering · dismissive · unforgiving
Extremely harsh or strict
- sternStrict or ship's aft
- strictRigorous, without flexibility
- unsparingShowing no leniency
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
unyielding · inflexible · rigid · merciless · relentless · austere · draconian · oppressive
Intolerant of differing views
- bigotedStubbornly intolerant of others
- dogmaticAsserting opinions as facts
- illiberalOpposed to individual freedoms
- closed-mindedUnreceptive to new ideas
small-minded · prejudiced · biased · partisan · sectarian · hidebound · provincial · parochial
judgmental
Inclined to criticize others
- faultfindingSeeking out imperfections
- hypercriticalExcessively prone to censure
- captiousGiven to petty criticism
carping · nitpicking · caviling · overcritical · pedantic · quibbling · hairsplitting · picayune · persnickety · finicky
puritanical
Excessively strict about morals
- prudishExcessively concerned with propriety
- priggishSmugly self-righteous
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
self-righteous · preachy · holier-than-thou · strait-laced · Victorian · bluenosed · disapprobation · finger-wagging · moralizing · sermonizing
condemnatory
Expressing severe disapproval
- reproachfulShowing blame or disappointment
- disparagingExpressing negative judgment
- disdainfulShowing open contempt
scornful · deprecating · belittling · derogatory · demeaning · contemptuous · sneering · dismissive · unforgiving · reproving
severe
Extremely harsh or strict
unforgiving · unyielding · inflexible · rigid · merciless · relentless · austere · draconian · oppressive · repressive
narrow-minded
Intolerant of differing views
- bigotedStubbornly intolerant of others
- dogmaticAsserting opinions as facts
- illiberalOpposed to individual freedoms
closed-minded · small-minded · prejudiced · biased · partisan · sectarian · hidebound · provincial · parochial · insular
- self-righteousnesssanctimony, self-righteousness, moralism, holier-than-thou, judgmentalism
- Puritanismpuritanism, moral purity, prudery, prudishness, strictness
- hypocrisyhypocrisy, hypocrite, sanctimony, two-faced, self-righteousness
censoriousnesstolerance
Willingness to accept difference
acceptance · forbearance · open-mindedness · understanding · compassion
censoriousnessleniency
Mildness in punishment
permissiveness · indulgence · lenience · clemency · mercifulness
censoriousnessapprobation
Formal expression of approval
praise · commendation · approval · encouragement · supportiveness
censure, censor, censorship, censored, uncensored, censorious, censors, censoring, anticensorship