disapproval If you say that someone is sanctimonious, you disapprove of them because you think that they are trying to appear morally better than other people. He writes smug, sanctimonious rubbish = self-righteous. behaving as if you are morally better than other people, in a way that is annoying - used to show disapproval (sanctimony (16-21 centuries), from sanctimonia , from sanctus; SAINT)