Pharisaic (Adjective)
Meaning
Excessively or hypocritically pious; "a sickening sanctimonious smile".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The televangelist's pharisaic speeches, full of false humility and righteousness, alienated many viewers.
- His self-serving declarations of faith struck many as pharisaic, masking his own greed and ambition.
- She grew tired of her neighbor's pharisaic complaints about her gardening, especially given his own well-manicured lawn.
- The politician's pharisaic responses to allegations of corruption were transparent and ultimately hurt her reputation.
- His public outbursts against the arts seemed pharisaic to some, an attempt to disguise his own shallow cultural tastes.