Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

self-righteousness

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.47 in modern English

Syllables: self--righ-teous-ness
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

5

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Confidence in one's own righteousness, self-assurance, smugness.

Example Sentences

"The book of Job warns us against self-righteousness, since no man can justify himself to God."
"The heroines of these plays speak out against intraracial biases, stereotyping, lynchmobs, illiteracy, poverty, promiscuity, self-righteousness, verbally abusive men, rape, and miscegenation. […] Without warning the doctor, she chokes the life out of her child in order to keep him safe from white lynchmobs."
"There was no tedious self-righteousness on the night of the gala event. The charity auction invited bids for a night out at the Windmill Club (a lapdancing venue in Soho) and a course of plastic surgery, offered as an opportunity to “Add spice to your wife”"

Etymology

From self-righteous + -ness or self- + righteousness.

Questions

What does self-righteousness mean?: Confidence in one's own righteousness, self-assurance, smugness.
Where does self-righteousness come from?: From self-righteous + -ness or self- + righteousness.

How to pronounce self-righteousness

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