sanctimony

noun

sanc·​ti·​mo·​ny ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-ˌmō-nē How to pronounce sanctimony (audio)
plural sanctimonies
Synonyms of sanctimonynext
1
obsolete : holiness
2
: affected or hypocritical holiness

Examples of sanctimony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But what holds me up outside the church is the feeling not of sacrament but sanctimony. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2026 His Tartuffe doesn’t try to curry favor or even stand on sanctimony. — Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025 This is where the sanctimony and the moralizing comes in. — Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026 The upshot of this contempt is a season that layers hypocrisy as well as sanctimony over the grubby, tedious nihilism that made Dahmer so miserable to watch. — Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sanctimony

Word History

Etymology

Middle French sanctimonie, from Latin sanctimonia, from sanctus

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sanctimony was in 1534

Rhymes for sanctimony

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Browse Nearby Words

sanctimoniousness
sanctimony
sanction
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sanctimony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctimony. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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