hypocritical
adjective
hyp·o·crit·i·cal
ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-kəl 
: characterized by behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel : characterized by hypocrisy
a hypocritical attitude/argument
said that it was hypocritical to demand respect from students without respecting them in return
a hypocritical gesture of modesty and virtue—
Robert Graves
Robert Graves
also
: being a person whose actions are contrary to their stated beliefs or feelings : being a hypocrite
… is famous for his … acidic takedowns of craven and hypocritical politicians. —Brett Lang
Brett Lang Examples of hypocritical in a Sentence
it's hypocritical to say mean things behind someone's back, and then to act nice when you want something from her
Recent Examples on the Web
People are fixating on celebrities of all kinds, accusing singers of body-positive anthems of being hypocritical, rolling their eyes at athletes promoting weight loss drugs and whispering about the thinness of their favorite movie stars.
—Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Yet, the sense of cognitive dissonance that pervades this space can feel blindingly hypocritical.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 May 2026
This is just another clear indication of the intolerance and hypocritical nature of the left.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
The lawsuit also alleged Cameron’s actions were hypocritical of his films’ messaging and detailed public backlash Cameron and the films faced for its depictions of Native groups.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
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Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Yet, the sense of cognitive dissonance that pervades this space can feel blindingly hypocritical.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 May 2026
This is just another clear indication of the intolerance and hypocritical nature of the left.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
The lawsuit also alleged Cameron’s actions were hypocritical of his films’ messaging and detailed public backlash Cameron and the films faced for its depictions of Native groups.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypocritical
Cite this Entry
“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocritical. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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