self-righteous
Holier than thou
Self-righteous describes someone smugly convinced of their own moral superiority.
The word is always pejorative—it suggests the person's righteousness is more about feeling superior than being genuinely virtuous: She delivered a self-righteous lecture about recycling while idling her SUV.
Self-righteous people are quick to judge others and slow to examine themselves.
Excessively moralizing in tone
- judgmentalInclined to criticize others
- censoriousSeverely critical in judgment
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
- puritanicalExcessively strict about morals
dogmatic · didactic · sermonizing · lecturing · pontificating · finger-wagging · admonishing · reproachful
Feigning moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- complacentUncritically self-satisfied
- piousFaithfully devoted to worship
priggish · superior · condescending · patronizing · supercilious · pleased · pompous · snobbish
Feigning beliefs one lacks
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- insincereFeigning belief or feeling
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- pretentiousFalsely grand or important
sanctimony · pretense · duplicity · disingenuous · piety · virtue-signaling · performative · affected
preachy
Excessively moralizing in tone
- judgmentalInclined to criticize others
- censoriousSeverely critical in judgment
- moralisticProne to lecturing others
puritanical · dogmatic · didactic · sermonizing · lecturing · pontificating · finger-wagging · admonishing · reproachful · disapproving
sanctimonious
Feigning moral superiority
- holier-than-thouSmugly moralistic toward others
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- complacentUncritically self-satisfied
pious · priggish · superior · condescending · patronizing · supercilious · pleased · pompous · snobbish · snide
hypocritical
Feigning beliefs one lacks
pretentious · sanctimony · pretense · duplicity · disingenuous · piety · virtue-signaling · performative · affected · false
outrage
Fierce moral indignation
resentment · wrath · fury · ire · anger · contempt · scorn · disgust · disapproval · condemnation
- arrogancearrogant, conceited, pompous, vain, haughty
- hypocrisyhypocrisy, hypocrite, sanctimony, two-faced, holier than thou
- intolerantbigoted, biased, prejudiced, discriminatory, intolerant
self-righteoushumble
Unassuming about oneself
modest · unassuming · self-effacing · self-questioning · open-minded
self-righteousnonjudgmental
Not forming harsh opinions
tolerant · forgiving · understanding · accepting · compassionate
self-righteousapologetic
Expressing regret for wrongdoing
remorseful · penitent · contrite · ashamed · guilt-ridden
self, righteous, self-assured, self-righteously, self-righteousness