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

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

• cant
• dissembling
• dissimulation
• insincerity
• piousness

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

Twain was both a brilliant writer who exposed America’s hypocrisies with humor and wit, and an angry man who savored revenge, nursed grudges and blamed God for the blows fate rained down on his head. —Mary Ann Gwinn, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

But with the the Midnight Cowboy star and his inner circle making a number of films themselves overseas and in Canada, their hypocrisy seems glaring and perhaps self-serving. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 May 2025

Yet the clear and growing danger is that perceived American hypocrisy regarding Ukraine and Gaza is now bleeding into discussions across the gamut of U.S. foreign policy, particularly over the future of self-ruling Taiwan. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 2 May 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, pointed out the hypocrisy of Putin’s claims as Russian drones attacked Ukraine within hours of the ceasefire. —Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

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