virtue signaling

noun

variants or virtue signalling or less commonly virtue-signaling

ˈvər-(ˌ)chü-ˈsig-nə-liŋ

or virtue-signalling

: the act or practice of conspicuously displaying one's awareness of and attentiveness to political issues, matters of social and racial justice, etc., especially instead of taking effective action

And who benefits from displays of woke virtue signaling?—

Veronique de Rugy

[San Francisco Giants manager Gabe] Kapler has said he won't participate in the [national] anthem, as [an] act of protest over gun violence in the United States. … He'll be accused of virtue signaling, and of being self-serving.—

Sean Gregory

We are not leaders in the fight against global climate change. We are stooges in a mock show of virtue signalling.—

Rex Murphy

We are living in the age of virtue-signalling with glib soundbites from glibber politicians seeking to address fundamental and complex issues with 280 characters on Twitter.—

Nick Dalgarno

virtue signal noun

plural virtue signals

This narrative is fed by social media and endorsed by the usual clutch of celebrities, forever eager to radiate their virtue signals across the globe. —

John Kane-Berman

virtue signal verb, transitive + intransitive

or less commonly virtue-signal

ˈvər-(ˌ)chü-ˌsig-nəl

virtue signaled also virtue signalled or virtue-signaled or virtue-signalled; virtue signaling also virtue signalling or virtue-signaling or virtue-signalling; virtue signals also virtue-signals

For now, we can only dream of a time—not too far off—when the wokest among us will virtue signal by broadcasting the fact that their yoga pants are made of mushrooms. —

Sarah Rose Sharp

These are the folk who like to play at rustic living and to virtue signal their support for the community by 'shopping locally'. —

James Delingpole

Examples of virtue signaling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The MPs fretted about virtue signaling, being seen as overly radical, and alienating their voters. —

Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 23 Sep. 2024 The women in Extreme E have improved immensely over the four years of the race series’ existence, proving that the equality isn’t just virtue signaling. —

James Morris, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024 So then comes the course correction, consisting of even more virtue signaling. —

Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2024 The first day of the session usually comes with dustups and news conferences and a lot of virtue signaling — which, again, no sane person would breathlessly follow, because ugh. —

Joanna Allhands, The Arizona Republic, 8 Jan. 2024 And the right has just said that the revival of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the Maryland House of Delegates was mere virtue signaling and sound and fury on the part of some, because women have arrived and don’t need legal protection. —

Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 May 2024 Audiences can smell the difference between social media virtue signaling and real offense. —

Dave Itzkoff, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024 After the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, corporate America undertook a collective virtue signaling. —

Beth Kowitt, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2024 Eric Stanley, a professor at UC Berkeley’s Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, was not impressed by the resolution’s language, saying there was a disconnect between politicians’ virtue signaling and the experiences of transgender people. —

Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2013, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of virtue signaling was in 2013

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Virtue signaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtue%20signaling. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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