pharisaical

adjective
UK: /ˌfær.ɪˈseɪ.ɪ.kəl/
US: /ˌfer.əˈseɪ.ɪ.kəl/

  1. Excessively or hypocritically pious or moral; self-righteous.

    1. His pharisaical attitude made him an unpopular member of the group.
    2. The politician's pharisaical pronouncements on ethics rang hollow given his own scandals.

  2. Relating to or characteristic of the Pharisees.

    1. The interpretation of the law felt very pharisaical to me.
    2. Scholars debate the extent of pharisaical influence on later Jewish thought and practice.

Synonyms

hypocritical sanctimonious self-righteous pietistic
pharisaical adverb

  1. In a pharisaical manner; hypocritically.

    1. He acted pharisaical in front of his boss.
    2. She spoke pharisaical, judging others while ignoring her own flaws.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pharisaical" in English means: Excessively or hypocritically pious or moral; self-righteous., Relating to or characteristic of the Pharisees..

The phonetic transcription of "pharisaical" is /ˌfær.ɪˈseɪ.ɪ.kəl/ in British English and /ˌfer.əˈseɪ.ɪ.kəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pharisaical": hypocritical, sanctimonious, self-righteous, pietistic.

Example usage of "pharisaical": "His pharisaical attitude made him an unpopular member of the group.". More examples on the page.