Sanctimonious

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /sæŋkˈtɪməniəs/

Definitions of sanctimonious

adjective making a show of being morally superior to other people

Example Sentences

A1 She always acts sanctimonious when talking about her healthy lifestyle.

A2 The politician's sanctimonious speech did not impress the audience.

B1 The teacher's sanctimonious attitude towards students who didn't do their homework was off-putting.

B2 His sanctimonious behavior towards his coworkers made him unpopular in the office.

C1 The CEO's sanctimonious remarks about ethical business practices were met with skepticism by the board members.

C2 The author's sanctimonious tone in her latest novel alienated many readers.

Examples of sanctimonious in a Sentence

formal The politician's sanctimonious attitude towards the issue did not sit well with the public.

informal I can't stand how sanctimonious she acts when she talks about eating healthy.

slang Stop being so sanctimonious about your grades, nobody likes a show-off.

figurative His sanctimonious behavior was like a dark cloud hanging over the family gathering.

Grammatical Forms of sanctimonious

past tense

sanctimonized

plural

sanctimoniouses

comparative

more sanctimonious

superlative

most sanctimonious

present tense

sanctimonizes

future tense

will sanctimonize

perfect tense

has sanctimonized

continuous tense

is sanctimonizing

singular

sanctimonious

positive degree

sanctimonious

infinitive

to sanctimonize

gerund

sanctimonizing

participle

sanctimonized

Origin and Evolution of sanctimonious

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'sanctimonious' originated from the Latin word 'sanctimonia', meaning holiness or piety.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe someone who is hypocritically devout or pious, the word 'sanctimonious' has evolved to also connote self-righteousness and moral superiority.