as in moralistic
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Recent Examples of pharisaical
Lists are no substitute for criticism, but those who take them as inimical to criticism are pharisaical.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2022
David and Samuel explore the U.S. energy sector and evaluate what the future holds in an ESG landscape that has done its very best to bring economic incoherence to its pharisaical agenda.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Jan. 2022
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2022
David and Samuel explore the U.S. energy sector and evaluate what the future holds in an ESG landscape that has done its very best to bring economic incoherence to its pharisaical agenda.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 16 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pharisaical
Adjective
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The United States went to war in 2001 and 2003 with a very moralistic, very crusading view of war, a very black-and-white view that there were good guys and bad guys, and America would wield the swift sword of justice.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
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To rebuild a consensus, politicians must thus appeal to these swing voters by eschewing moralistic and globalist rhetoric.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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There’s nothing sanctimonious about insisting on civil rights for transgender people nor about fighting for racial justice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement For those of us who’ve historically found Stause to be sanctimonious, passive-aggressive, and prone to playing the victim, there’s plenty in both her post and her behavior throughout the reunion to support that view.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Singh, who would be our local guide, always wore the five traits of a pious Sikh man — uncut hair (symbolizing strength and holiness and topped by the identifying turban), a steel bracelet, wooden comb, sheathed dagger and a baggy undergarment dating back to the Sikhs’ warrior days on horses.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
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In the old days, when Muslims had a great civilization, their smart and pious people also got paid for being smart and pious.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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An about-face a few years down the line might look hypocritical in light of the new Super Bowl ad the company is releasing to highlight its announcement.—
Dominic Preston,
The Verge,
4 Feb. 2026
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Fellow Democrats Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa attack Swalwell and Porter as hypocritical, pointing to their own stricter stances on federal immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In calmer times, a leader expounding from such heights risks sounding preachy and self-righteous.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
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In the early days of the drugs’ rollout, a high price tag and a nationwide shortage made off-label A-list users a target of self-righteous mockery.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But there’s a line between analysis and holier-than-thou bloviation.—
Mara Reinstein,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Nov. 2025
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WalletHub made sure that no state walked away feeling entirely holier-than-thou.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Which is not to say that Amodei is being insincere.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Then again, Friday’s show was a reminder that much of Rascal Flatts’ output can get overly glossy and insincere, so maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The bun was buttery and slightly sweet, the pickles and mustard lended a bit of tang to the unctuous beef patties smothered in melty American cheese, and the sweet-but-slightly-spicy Sassy Sauce brought it all together without overpowering any other flavors.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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At Big Ma’s, the ribs are cut into manageable pieces, with just enough fat to leave the meat unctuous but easy to eat.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pharisaical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pharisaical. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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