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moralizer

moralizer

1 6.3
A person who often tells others what is right or wrong
  • noun
  • /ˈmɔːrəˌlaɪzər/
translation icon : moralista
  • I think in the end, when all is said, that the attacks on Japanese civilians were unjustified, but holding this example up, as some people are wont to do, as if it is some sort of clinching point or moral knockdown argument, is simplistic beyond belief and should be refuted every time any half-asleep moralizer like Sheer comes forth with it.

Examples

  • Same Pragmatic Republican 'moralizers' who, by the way, think that Sarah Palin (the best of all Conservative leaders) is too stupid for their Pragmatic snobbery.

    Blog text (1)
  • For all you moralizers out there, including you, Trent, you have two simple and very clear alternatives.

    Blog text (15)
  • I'm no moralizer.

  • Unfortunately, too many 'moralizers' from the Pragmatic Moderate side of the Republican Party preached their indignation at the candidate Dr. Sowell endorsed.

    Blog text (1)
  • When I began to read Confucius, I found him to be a prosaic and parochial moralizer; his collected sayings, the Analects, seemed to me an archaic irrelevance.

    Academic text (2016)
  • The community often criticized him for being such a moralizer when he lectured others about their choices.

  • As a moralizer, she frequently reminded us to consider the consequences of our actions.

  • People tend to avoid him because he is known as a constant moralizer who offers unsolicited advice.

Synonyms

moralist
vsmoralizer
3 6.7

A person who teaches or writes about what is right and wrong

often lectures people directly to tell them what is right or wrong
sermonizer
vsmoralizer
7.7

A person who gives religious talks to a group of people

often gives moral advice in everyday talk rather than formal preaching

Antonyms

1 9.9

A person who thinks ideas of right and wrong do not matter

How Moralizing

moralizer
1 6.3
preacher
291 3.2
moralist
3 6.7
crusader
32 5.6

Surface Forms

moralizer singular
moralizers plural

Morphology

moralizer = moralize (transparent) = moral + ize + er

Productive agentive formation from 'moralize' (itself 'moral' + '-ize'); the role 'one who moralizes' follows standard English derivation.

Etymology

Moralizer comes from moral meaning 'right and wrong' and the ending -izer meaning 'someone who does something'. Since moral once meant social 'customs' or 'habits', a moralizer is literally a person who often tells others how they should behave.