sanctimoniously
With holier-than-thou attitude
In a manner that displays excessive or hypocritical piety, making a show of moral superiority.
Someone who speaks sanctimoniously affects righteousness while implicitly condemning others: He sanctimoniously lectured everyone about their carbon footprint while driving an SUV.
The word always carries a note of contempt for the person described.
Smugly moralistic toward others
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- piousFaithfully devoted to worship
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- pharisaicalHypocritically self-righteous
superior · priggish · unctuous · pietistic · condescending · patronizing · vainglorious · haughty
Speak in dogmatic manner
- sermonizeSpeak with moral authority
- preachDeliver religious discourse
- lectureEducational spoken presentation
- admonishReprove with counsel
exhort · moralize · proselytize · didactic · pedantic · dogmatic · doctrinaire · puritanical
Morally good, justified
- devoutDeeply religious, sincere
- prayerfulGiven to worship
- reverentFeeling profound respect
- solemnSerious and dignified
churchy · ecclesiastical · scriptural · biblical · clerical · monastic · ascetic · abstemious
holier-than-thou
Smugly moralistic toward others
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- piousFaithfully devoted to worship
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
pharisaical · superior · priggish · unctuous · pietistic · condescending · patronizing · vainglorious · haughty · ostentatious
pontificate
Speak in dogmatic manner
- sermonizeSpeak with moral authority
- preachDeliver religious discourse
- lectureEducational spoken presentation
admonish · exhort · moralize · proselytize · didactic · pedantic · dogmatic · doctrinaire · puritanical · censorious
righteous
Morally good, justified
solemn · churchy · ecclesiastical · scriptural · biblical · clerical · monastic · ascetic · abstemious · austere
sanctimoniouslyhumbly
Without pride or arrogance
unpretentiously · sincerely · modestly · genuinely · authentically