Standard Lemma guide

self-righteousness

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The book of Job warns us against self-righteousness, since no man can justify himself to God.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: самодоволство (samodovolstvo) — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Dutch: zelfgenoegzaamheid — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Dutch: eigengerechtigheid — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Finnish: omahyväisyys — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • French: dédain — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Galician: desdén — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Galician: condescendencia — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • German: Selbstgerechtigkeit — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Macedonian: самоправедност (samopravednost) — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Polish: pyszałkowatość — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Polish: przemądrzałość — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Polish: zarozumiałość — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Russian: самодово́льство (samodovólʹstvo) — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Spanish: santurronería — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Spanish: fariseísmo — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Spanish: mojigatería — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Spanish: mojigatez — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Swedish: egenrättfärdighet — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug
  • Swedish: självrättfärdighet — confident in one's own righteousness, self-assured, smug