self-righteous

From self- + righteous.

self-righteous (comparative more self-righteous, superlative most self-righteous)

1. Piously self-assured and smugly moralistic.

   Coordinate terms: self-assured; self-satisfied; sententious

   Near-synonyms: smug, complacent; sanctimonious

   • 2003 August 16, vjmorton, “Not-so-brave heart”, in Rightwing Film Geek‎^[1]:

     And is it not possible, Mr. Hier, that people are reacting (in a contemptible way, certainly) against your self-righteous bawling?

   • 2017, Jules Radcliffe, Penitent Pirate:

     “God's blood, Thomas, self-righteous prickery is not the preserve of the English!”

2. Patronizingly moralizing and rebuking.

• self-righteously
• self-righteousness

• virtue signalling