sanctimony
Holier-than-thou attitude
Sanctimony is a show of righteousness or moral superiority, especially when hypocritical or excessive.
The sanctimonious person makes a display of virtue while judging others: I couldn't stand his sanctimony about my smoking while he drank himself to sleep every night.
The word nearly always carries disapproval—genuine piety isn't called sanctimony.
Smug moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- cantSanctimonious insincerity
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
- two-facednessDeceitful pretense of friendship
duplicity · piety · piousness · unctuousness · insincerity · dissembling · pretense · sham
Excessive tendency to criticize
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
- fault-findingExcessive focus on errors
- disapprovingExpressing unfavorable opinion
superior · scornful · disdainful · pontificating · self-satisfied · finger-wagging · holier-than-thou · lecturing
Exaggerated sense of importance
- ostentationVulgar flaunting of means
- airsPretentious behavioral displays
- affectednessInsincere, contrived behavior
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
grandiosity · pretentiousness · show · puffery · false humility · theatricality · virtue signaling · high-mindedness
Sincere religious devotion
- devoutnessEarnest religious commitment
- piousnessReligious reverence and devotion
- godlinessState of spiritual purity
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
observance · puritanism · zealotry · fundamentalism · religiousness · asceticism · orthodoxy · dogma
self-righteousness
Smug moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- cantSanctimonious insincerity
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
two-facedness · duplicity · piety · piousness · unctuousness · insincerity · dissembling · pretense · sham · fakery
censoriousness
Excessive tendency to criticize
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
- fault-findingExcessive focus on errors
disapproving · superior · scornful · disdainful · pontificating · self-satisfied · finger-wagging · holier-than-thou · lecturing · sermonizing
pomposity
Exaggerated sense of importance
- ostentationVulgar flaunting of means
- airsPretentious behavioral displays
- affectednessInsincere, contrived behavior
posturing · grandiosity · pretentiousness · show · puffery · false humility · theatricality · virtue signaling · high-mindedness · loftiness
piety
Sincere religious devotion
- devoutnessEarnest religious commitment
- piousnessReligious reverence and devotion
- godlinessState of spiritual purity
righteousness · observance · puritanism · zealotry · fundamentalism · religiousness · asceticism · orthodoxy · dogma · fire-and-brimstone
- insincerityinsincerity, phoniness, fakeness, falseness, pretense
- hypocrisyhypocrisy, hypocrite, two-faced, self-righteousness, holier than thou
- self-righteousnessself-righteousness, moralism, holier-than-thou, judgmentalism, censoriousness
- Puritanismpuritanism, moral purity, prudery, prudishness, strictness
- condemnationcondemnation, censure, rebuke, denunciation, reproach
- preachingsermonizing, homiletics, altar call, scripture reading, closing prayer
sanctimonygenuineness
Quality of being real
sincerity · authenticity · truthfulness · honesty · frankness
sanctimonyhumility
Freedom from arrogance
modesty · self-awareness · self-deprecation · contrition · unpretentiousness