What does "sanctimony" mean?
A hypocritical form of excessive piety, considered to be an affectation merely for public show.
Sanctimony
/ˈsæŋk.tɪˌmoʊ.ni/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hypocritical form of excessive piety, considered to be an affectation merely for public show.
- Grammar: sanctimony is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: sanctimoniousness, bibliolatry, cant, censoriousness.
- Useful contrasts: candor, genuineness, humility.
- Usage evidence: At its best[…] “The Newsroom” has a wit, sophistication and manic energy that recalls James L. Brooks’s classic movie “Broadcast News.” But at its worst, the show chokes on its own sanctimony.
How to use "sanctimony"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sanctimony" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
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Check whether "sanctimony" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A hypocritical form of excessive piety, considered to be an affectation merely for public show. countable, uncountable
"At its best[…] “The Newsroom” has a wit, sophistication and manic energy that recalls James L. Brooks’s classic movie “Broadcast News.” But at its worst, the show chokes on its own sanctimony."
- 2 the quality of being hypocritically devout wordnet
- 3 A state of holiness. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"At its best[…] “The Newsroom” has a wit, sophistication and manic energy that recalls James L. Brooks’s classic movie “Broadcast News.” But at its worst, the show chokes on its own sanctimony."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sanctimony"?
Common synonyms include: sanctimoniousness, bibliolatry, cant, censoriousness, charismatic gift, charismatic movement.
How do you use "sanctimony" in a sentence?
At its best[…] “The Newsroom” has a wit, sophistication and manic energy that recalls James L. Brooks’s classic movie “Broadcast News.” But at its worst, the show chokes on its own sanctimony.
How do you pronounce "sanctimony"?
Pronounced /ˈsæŋk.tɪˌmoʊ.ni/.
Etymology
From Middle French sanctimonie, from Latin sānctimōnia (“sanctity, sacredness; purity, chastity”), from sanctus (“holy”) + -monia (“action or result of an action”).