1. hypocrites who make a show of religious devotion or moral virtue to deceive others
Usage: literary; from Molière’s character Tartuffe

Examples

• The community was shocked to discover that their most vocal moral leaders were actually tartuffes.
• She saw through the tartuffes who preached charity but never helped the poor.
• The novel exposes the tartuffes of high society who hide their greed behind pious words.
• Many tartuffes use religious language to manipulate others for personal gain.
• The scandal revealed how many supposed reformers were merely tartuffes seeking power.
• He warned against the tartuffes who exploit people’s faith for their own benefit.