pharisee
- noun
- /ˈfɛrɪˌsi/
- Offensive
- In that case, perhaps it would be best for you to simply allow it to speak to those of us who have been pharisees and are trying to stay out of that trap again without condemning us because we have struggled and see others still in that struggle.
Examples
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He acted like a Pharisee, judging others while pretending to be morally superior.
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Despite his claims of generosity, everyone knew he was a Pharisee at heart, only helping others for his own benefit.
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Pharisees were high and mighty.
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We Pharisees?
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She criticized his Pharisee ways, pointing out how he preached kindness but only showed it when it suited him.
Synonyms
A person who says they have good morals but does not follow them
A person who pretends to be very good and judges others
A person who pretends to be moral but is not
How Hypocritical
- Offensive
- Offensive
Surface Forms
Etymology
Pharisee comes from the old word pharisaios, which comes from the Hebrew perushim meaning 'separate' or 'set apart'. Because the original group was known for strict rules and for keeping themselves apart, people later used pharisee to mean someone who is self-righteous or a hypocrite.