moralizing
Dispensing ethical judgments
Moralizing is lecturing others about right and wrong, especially in a self-righteous or tedious way.
The term is almost always pejorative—it suggests the speaker is more interested in displaying virtue than genuinely helping: I don't need your moralizing; I know what I did was wrong.
To moralize is to draw moral lessons from something, often uninvited.
Lecturing on morals
- pontificatingSpeaking pompously at length
- lecturingGiving an instructive talk
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
- self-righteousSmugly certain of correctness
holier-than-thou · patronizing · condescending · finger-wagging · judgmental · smug · pious · overbearing
Sincere religious devotion
- devoutnessEarnest religious commitment
- sermonClergy's worship address
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
- sanctityQuality of being inviolable
reverence · godliness · faith · spirituality · devotion · saintliness · pulpit · preaching
Clergy's worship address
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
- admonishmentExpression of disapproval or warning
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
reproof · reprimand · harangue · diatribe · tirade · pontification · scolding · chastisement
Expressing severe disapproval
- criticizingVoicing negative assessment
- censoriousSeverely critical in judgment
- disapprovingExpressing unfavorable opinion
- reproachfulShowing blame or disappointment
accusatory · fault-finding · scrutiny · blame · shame · guilt · standards · principles
Study of right conduct
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- principledHaving strong moral beliefs
- nobilityTitled ruling class
honor · decency · goodness · rectitude · propriety · duty · conscience · scruples
sermonizing
Lecturing on morals
- pontificatingSpeaking pompously at length
- lecturingGiving an instructive talk
- sanctimoniousFeigning moral superiority
self-righteous · holier-than-thou · patronizing · condescending · finger-wagging · judgmental · smug · pious · overbearing · pedantic
piety
Sincere religious devotion
- devoutnessEarnest religious commitment
- sermonClergy's worship address
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
sanctity · reverence · godliness · faith · spirituality · devotion · saintliness · pulpit · preaching · evangelizing
sermon
Clergy's worship address
- homilyReligious discourse on scripture
- exhortationUrgent persuasive appeal
- admonishmentExpression of disapproval or warning
rebuke · reproof · reprimand · harangue · diatribe · tirade · pontification · scolding · chastisement · discourse
condemning
Expressing severe disapproval
- criticizingVoicing negative assessment
- censoriousSeverely critical in judgment
- disapprovingExpressing unfavorable opinion
reproachful · accusatory · fault-finding · scrutiny · blame · shame · guilt · standards · principles · values
ethics
Study of right conduct
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
- principledHaving strong moral beliefs
nobility · honor · decency · goodness · rectitude · propriety · duty · conscience · scruples · character
- moral teachingsadmonitions, admonition, fables, fable, proverbs
- pretentiousnesspretentious, pretentiousness, pretension, pompous, pomposity
- criticismcriticism, critique, review, feedback, opinion
- disrespectinsulting, belittling, demeaning, mocking, ridiculing
- promptsprompt, prompts, prompting, cue, hint
- showboatingshowing off, bragging, boasting, grandstanding, posturing
moralizingnonjudgmental
Not forming harsh opinions
tolerant · permissive · accepting · live-and-let-live · live and let live
moralizingamoral
Without ethical concern
nonjudgmental · unprincipled · nihilistic · unscrupulous · immoral
moralizinglistening
Attending to sound
receptive · open-minded · understated · humble · silent