priggishness

/'prigiʃnis/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
priggishness

A man displays his priggishness by correcting a colleague's table manners.

Definition

Noun: - Exaggerated and arrogant properness: The quality or state of being priggish; characterized by a self-righteous, smug, and overly rigid adherence to perceived rules of propriety, often accompanied by a condescending attitude toward others.

Usage
  • General Use: Used to describe a person's annoying or offensive characteristic of being overly concerned with formal correctness, especially in a way that shows one believes oneself to be superior.
    • His constant priggishness about table manners made dinner uncomfortable for everyone.
    • The novel satirizes the priggishness of the upper classes.
Advanced Usage
  • In Social Commentary: Often used in critiques of moral, social, or intellectual elitism.
    • The politician's priggishness on matters of "traditional values" alienated younger voters.
  • As an Abstract Quality: Can refer to the quality itself, not just a personal trait.
    • The play explores the conflict between genuine virtue and mere priggishness.
Variants and Related Words
  • Priggish (adj): Having the qualities of a prig; self-righteously correct and superior.
    • She dismissed his criticism as priggish moralizing.
  • Prig (n): A person who is smugly self-righteous and overly concerned with propriety.
    • He was considered a prig for lecturing his friends on their spending habits.
Synonyms
  • Self-righteousness: The quality of being confident in one's own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic.
  • Sanctimoniousness: The feigning of piety or righteousness; hypocritical devoutness.
  • Primness: Formality and stiffness of manner or behavior, often excessive.
  • Stuffiness: Dull and conventional respectability.
Antonyms
  • Modesty: The quality of being unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities.
  • Humility: A modest view of one's own importance.
  • Informality: Relaxed, friendly, or unofficial style or manner.
Idioms and Phrases
  • Holier-than-thou attitude: An idiom closely related to priggishness, describing a smugly pious or morally superior stance.
    • Her priggishness often came across as a holier-than-thou attitude that few could tolerate.
priggishness

A man displays his priggishness by correcting a colleague's table manners.

Noun
  1. exaggerated and arrogant properness

Từ đồng nghĩa