holier-than-thou

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“It’s like a milkshake gone bad. I don’t like holier-than-thou people. I hate that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2024

Plus I get to be holier-than-thou to almost everyone I know!

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2023

In 2000, the United States was introduced to the Toyota Prius, marketed as a holier-than-thou, eco-friendly choice.

From Salon • Nov. 28, 2022

“Being green is not a charitable sort of self-flagellating, holier-than-thou exercise. It’s a good business model. That’s what we’d like to show,” said Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2022

If someone had asked her, a month or even a week before, to guess what she might have felt, she might have anticipated a sliver of gloating, or at least a moment of holier-than-thou.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng