Prig

A prig is a self-righteous, excessively moralistic person who behaves and speaks in an overly proper or superior manner. They often express disapproval of others and adhere rigidly to a set of conventional moral standards, sometimes to the point of being irritating or pedantic. Prigs tend to be concerned with petty details and upholding a specific set of rules, regardless of the situation. They might also express their views without regard for how they impact others. In essence, a prig is perceived as insufferable due to their perceived moral superiority.

Prig meaning with examples

• Despite being new to the office, Sarah quickly earned the nickname 'prig' because of her constant reminders about company policy and her habit of criticizing colleagues for even minor infractions. She would constantly report colleagues to the boss, always eager to point out someone's mistake. Her rigid adherence to rules made her very unpopular and a drain on the office morale. Everyone found her attitude to be very condescending and often avoided her.
• The history teacher was considered a prig by his students. He would relentlessly point out historical errors in their work and drone on about moral shortcomings of long-dead figures. Though he was undoubtedly knowledgable he came across very negatively because he would refuse to adapt to the students. He was not very good at making his class fun, or even tolerable, causing his class to be avoided.
• During family gatherings, Uncle Joe’s constant lectures on proper table manners and the latest political scandals established him as the designated prig of the group. No matter the topic, he would often insert moral judgement of any behaviour. His unsolicited opinions, and unwavering belief in his own righteousness made any conversation with him exhausting and often a source of family friction.
• The self-proclaimed etiquette expert was widely considered a prig. On social media she regularly corrected people's grammar and spelling, and harshly criticized those who did not follow the latest rules. This constant criticism earned her a negative following online. Though her intension was often genuine, her delivery ensured that her message would be overlooked and largely unaccepted.