hypocrisy

noun

hy·​poc·​ri·​sy hi-ˈpä-krə-sē 

also hī-

plural hypocrisies

1

: a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not : behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel

Free speech … depends on our ability to see through the hypocrisy of those who claim to defend it while working to suppress it.

—Andy Craig

His hypocrisy was finally revealed with the publication of his private letters.

especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion

… our conventional morality often serves as a cover for hypocrisy and selfishness.

—Lucius Garvin

2

: an act or instance of hypocrisy

a keen awareness of one's parents' hypocrisies

Synonyms of hypocrisy

• deception
• deceit
• deceptiveness
• insincerity
• deceitfulness
• affectation

Examples of hypocrisy in a Sentence

When his private letters were made public, they revealed his hypocrisy.

the hypocrisy of people who say one thing but do another

Teenagers often have a keen awareness of their parents' hypocrisies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both had spent their entire lives chafing under the terror of bigotry, and from the hypocrisy being exposed by a heinous, toxic legacy of institutionalized double standards. —John E. Green, Time, 1 Feb. 2026

But even at a progressive institution like Antioch, Coretta encountered the quiet betrayal of liberal hypocrisy. —Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026

As has become tradition for Jon Stewart‘s Monday evening hosting stints for The Daily Show, the political comic had to work hard to detangle all the webs of hypocrisy exemplified by the right wing — this time, in relation to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026

Consider the vivid hypocrisy of the ICE agents who were seen feasting at the popular El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, and then returning later to arrest the owner and employees of this café that had graciously served them. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ypocrisye, borrowed from Anglo-French ypocrisie, borrowed from Late Latin hypocrisis, ypocrisis, borrowed from Greek hypókrisis "playing a part on the stage, pretending to be something one is not," from hypokri-, variant stem of hypokrī́nomai, hypokrī́nesthai "to reply, make an answer, speak in dialogue, play a part on the stage, feign" (from hypo- hypo- + krī́nomai, middle voice of krī́nō, krī́nein "to separate, choose, decide, judge") + -sis, suffix forming nouns of action or process — more at certain entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hypocrisy

• autocracy
• bureaucracy
• democracy
• plutocracy
• theocracy
• aristocracy
• meritocracy

Kids Definition

hypocrisy

noun

hy·​poc·​ri·​sy hip-ˈäk-rə-sē 

plural hypocrisies

: behavior that does not agree with what one claims to believe or feel

the hypocrisy of people who say one thing and do another