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View synonyms for holier-than-thou

holier-than-thou

[ hoh-lee-er-thuhn-thou ]

adjective

  1. obnoxiously pious; sanctimonious; self-righteous.


noun

  1. a person who is obnoxiously pious or self-righteous.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of holier-than-thou1

First recorded in 1910–15

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Example Sentences

Goodell also has to get off the increasingly wearisome holier-than-thou kick.

Herman likes to give the appearance of living this holier-than-thou life.

Unfortunately for Edwards, the holier-than-thou approach won her few fans.

This has been tried out successfully in many industrial enterprises, with happy surprise for the holier-than-thou skeptics.

She shrank from the holier-than-thou attitude; yet to remain quiet might be taken as approval.

There was no assumption of godliness nor conceit, no holier-than-thou smirk about the child.

I don't want your pity or your charity or any of your holier-than-thou butting in—all I want's just to be let alone.

I've watched the lot of you Cavendishes, with yer stuck-up 'holier-than-thou' ways.

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