What's the word for someone who acts sanctimoniously, especially under a pretence to improve their reputation?


You can use Prig. Its meaning in the OED is

A self-righteously moralistic person who behaves as if they are superior to others.

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The word I think you may be looking for is Social Justice Warrior, although this is used only sanctimoniously for left wing causes. It's the noun for those that virtue signal, in my estimation. From Urban Dictionary

social justice warrior



Wikipedia has a similar interpretation:

"Social justice warrior" (commonly abbreviated SJW) is a pejorative term for an individual promoting socially progressive views,[1] including feminism,[1][2] civil rights,[1] multiculturalism,[1] and identity politics.[3] The accusation of being an SJW carries implications of pursuing personal validation rather than any deep-seated conviction,[4] and being engaged in disingenuous social justice arguments or activism to raise personal reputation, also known as virtue signalling

The phrase originated in the late 20th century as a neutral or positive term for people engaged in social justice activism.[1] In 2011, when the term first appeared on Twitter, it changed from a primarily positive term to an overwhelmingly negative one.[1] During the Gamergate controversy, the negative connotation gained increased use, and was particularly aimed at those espousing views adhering to social liberalism, cultural inclusiveness, or feminism, as well as views deemed to be politically correct.[1][2]

The term has entered popular culture, including a parody role-playing video game released in 2014 titled Social Justice Warriors.[6][7][8]

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While "virtue-signalling" is a relatively new popular term that address the "sanctimonial" aspect, the older term of "grandstanding" might have a more general applicability to acts that are made to build good reputation and attract good opinion.

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