Definition of "self-righteous" [self•-right•eous]

• Piously sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic. (adjective)
• Exhibiting pious self-assurance: self-righteous remarks. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Becker used the unflattering term "self-righteous" to capture this idea and many times the expression of this is unflattering but it need not be as virtueless as that."
• "In fact, he don’t know nothing except that Dave Robicheaux, who he called a self-righteous lush, is about to get his wick snuffed."
• "The insult, which refers to an ancient religious sect but is commonly used to refer to a self-righteous person, sent Martynyuk lunging for his fellow politician, grabbing him by the neck and pushing him to the ground."