sanctimoniously
1
9.0
- adverb
- /ˌsæŋk.tɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs.li/
:
santurronamente
- The politician sanctimoniously declared that he values honesty, despite his record of deceit.
Examples
-
Just when you think he's ready to deliver a lofty speech chock-full of specifics on handling the spending and debt emergency, he offers up a hyper-partisan attack on the leading Republican proposal, gives practically no details of his own plan, and then sanctimoniously puts himself on the side of preserving "the American dream for future generations."
Blog text (33) -
To hear a federal judge who hands out those sentences sanctimoniously lecturing, I think probably rubbed people the wrong way.
-
Look at each other and sanctimoniously cross themselves.
Fiction book (1994) -
Why shaft the very veterans whose service politicians sanctimoniously celebrate at every occasion?
Blog text (30) -
You've got to expect the worst from these people, even while they sanctimoniously blather on about things like loyalty, truth, and honor.
Blog text (30) -
On this blog, we get many 'hit and runs' from green believers who sanctimoniously post things culled from elsewhere, then disappear.
Blog text (30) -
The fact that smoking is a destructive behavior does not give one the "moral high ground" to sanctimoniously commandeer a proprietor's property.
Blog text (8) -
It is extremely disappointing to have Ted Koppel sanctimoniously lecture conservative news programs for what he and his peers did for years.
Blog text (24) -
For a United States that sanctimoniously and incessantly preaches peace, human rights, equality, justice, and the rule of law to others, there is little choice but for America's deeds to speak, uncharacteristically, louder than its words.
Academic text (2007) -
If you’re a liberal, you hate conservatives and see this issue as a golden opportunity to sanctimoniously damage your political enemies while appearing to be morally superior.
Blog text (9)
Synonyms
3
7.4
In a way that pretends to have good morals you do not have
1
7.7
Acting as if your actions and opinions are better than other people's
In a way that gives moral advice and sounds like a lecture
In a self-important, bossy way as if always right
In a way that shows you feel better than other people
Antonyms
How Self-Righteous
Surface Forms
Morphology
sanctimoniously = sanctimonious (transparent) = sanctimony + ous + ly
The adverb is a regular -ly formation from the adjective 'sanctimonious', yielding 'in a sanctimonious manner'.
Etymology
Sanctimoniously comes from the Latin sanctus, which means 'holy', and is related to words like sanctuary and saint. It paints the picture of someone who pretends to be a 'saint' to show they are better than others, so to act sanctimoniously is to behave in a fake, proud way.