Santimonious

Characterized by a show of piety or moral superiority, often insincere or hypocritical. It describes someone who makes a display of religious devotion or moral rectitude, frequently in a self-righteous manner, while their actions may contradict their proclaimed beliefs. The word suggests a lack of genuine sincerity and often implies judgment or criticism of others. Sanctimonious behavior is driven by a desire to appear virtuous rather than a true commitment to ethical principles. This can manifest in overly pious language, public displays of religious observance, or expressions of moral outrage.

Santimonious meaning with examples

• The politician, despite numerous scandals, gave a sanctimonious speech about family values, which led many to see his hypocrisy. His words rang hollow, given his public record and the known indiscretions. The audience questioned the genuineness of his moral stance.
• Her sanctimonious pronouncements on healthy eating were hard to stomach, considering she constantly snacked on junk food behind closed doors. It appeared she wanted to appear to live a healthy life when it was not the case. Few believed her when she lectured others about bad health habits.
• He offered sanctimonious praise for the charity’s efforts, even though he had consistently refused to donate any money or time himself. This demonstrated to everyone the duplicity of his words, which were not matched by his actions, and it felt very wrong.
• The church elder's sanctimonious tone while discussing the sins of others felt deeply unsettling. He seemed to enjoy highlighting the flaws of others. He seemed to think they were inferior to him, and nobody liked him because of this.
• Her sanctimonious emails, filled with religious quotes and advice, annoyed her friends, as they masked a judgmental attitude. It was offputting and people began to block her, since she had never acted upon them or changed herself and it was all talk.