SANCTIMONIOUSNESS Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

sanctimoniousness

noun

Definition of sanctimoniousness

as in affectation

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanctimoniousness

Noun

But, even then, American socialists walked a fine line—they were considered too radical for the mainstream and a mere bourgeois affectation by committed class revolutionaries.

— Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
With rare exceptions, EV sound is little more than an affectation.

— Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of affectation

Noun

His face is a mix of affectlessness and self-satisfaction, putting him somewhere between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, with a touch of the Cheshire cat.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
After 50 minutes of self-satisfaction, the hero fades serenely into a sunset that Dudamel made miraculously mystical.

— Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026

Definition of self-satisfaction

Noun

Although humanity’s salvation may appear to come in fits and starts, God’s healing influence always penetrates and gets through callous self-righteousness and indifference.

— Mark Swinney, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026
But Flynn also oozes sniveling self-righteousness while hotly defending and petitioning for childhood innocence (amusing hints emerge that the daughter is a somewhat lazy and dim underachiever).

— Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of self-righteousness

Noun

Staff members treat patrons like family, a welcome departure from the pretentiousness that sometimes comes with more luxurious bookings.

— Joey Skladany, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Gabrielle and Katerina credit the enduring appeal of Dan Tana’s to its persistent lack of pretentiousness.

— Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of pretentiousness

Noun

The practice of yama includes avoiding violence, dishonesty, theft and greed, and cultivating brahmacharya.

— Bhakti Mamtora, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Set against the backdrop of political dishonesty and the country’s abandonment of ideals, the book probes questions about how to be an artist in the world.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of dishonesty

Noun

Nefarious actors have long been keen to fill the gap through what international law describes as coercion, deception and abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability.

— Robert P. George, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Zishan Zeng, was charged with two counts of elder exploitation and two counts of theft by deception.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of deception

Noun

Platner, indeed, has boiled down nearly all political problems to the perfidy of sinister oligarchs.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
If the landing had been faked, the Soviets would have figured it out and would have loved to reveal to the world America’s perfidy.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026

Definition of perfidy

Noun

The author behind the singular Elizabeth Zott returns with ‘Peck & Peck,’ a sharp, charming satire on the pretensions and perils of literary gatekeepers.

— Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Despite the proximity to downtown and guest rooms brimming with the latest and greatest technology, there’s zero pretension here.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretension

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sanctimonious

sanctimoniousness

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“Sanctimoniousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanctimoniousness. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sanctimoniousness

noun

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