virtue signaling

Meaning

This term refers to the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or moral correctness on a social or political issue. It is often used disapprovingly when someone seems more interested in looking good to others than in actually taking meaningful action.

Examples

• Posting that black square on Instagram felt like pure virtue signaling because they didn't actually donate to any charities.

  Posting that black square on Instagram felt like pure virtue signaling because they didn't actually donate to any charities.

• I'm tired of corporate virtue signaling; companies need to change their actual hiring practices instead of just changing their logos for Pride month.

  I'm tired of corporate virtue signaling; companies need to change their actual hiring practices instead of just changing their logos for Pride month.

• Some people accuse him of virtue signaling, but he actually spends his weekends volunteering at the shelter.

  Some people accuse him of virtue signaling, but he actually spends his weekends volunteering at the shelter.

• Her speech was full of virtue signaling, designed to win over the progressive audience without offering any concrete policy solutions.

  Her speech was full of virtue signaling, designed to win over the progressive audience without offering any concrete policy solutions.

• Before you call it virtue signaling, consider whether their public statement might actually raise valuable awareness for the cause.

  Before you call it virtue signaling, consider whether their public statement might actually raise valuable awareness for the cause.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He is virtue signaling his friends on social media.

  ✓ He is virtue signaling to his friends on social media.

  The verb phrase 'virtue signal' is intransitive when referring to the audience. You virtue signal 'to' people, or you simply 'engage in virtue signaling'.

• ✗ She made a virtue signal action.

  ✓ She made a virtue-signaling gesture.

  When modifying a noun, use the hyphenated participial adjective form 'virtue-signaling' rather than the noun phrase.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Many critics dismissed the celebrity's tweet as mere ___ because she had never supported the cause before.

  💡 A noun phrase describing public moral posturing.

  Show answer

  virtue signaling

• Instead of actually helping, he was just ___ on social media to make himself look good.

  💡 The -ing verb form of the expression.

  Show answer

  virtue signaling