hypocrisy

noun

hy·poc·ri·sy | \ hi-ˈpä-krə-sē also hī-

plural hypocrisies

Definition of hypocrisy

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 & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about hypocrisy

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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

Moreover, Buttigieg continues to highlight the hypocrisy of the Christian right — an act more Democrats should duplicate. — Michael Arceneaux, Essence, "Opinion: Kamala Harris Decided Not To Play It Nice With Joe Biden," 28 June 2019 The size of the hypocrisy in these stupidly put together 'hot takes', particularly from blokes who spout this sort of BS, makes Mount Everest look like a speedbump. — SI.com, "An Address to the Lazy & Ill-Informed 'No One Cares About Women's Football' Brigade," 12 June 2019 Liberal justices sensed a degree of hypocrisy in their conservative colleagues' willingness to jettison a 1979 decision so easily. — Richard Wolf, USA TODAY, "Conservative gains at Supreme Court leading to anger, frustration and 'peeks behind the curtain'," 9 June 2019 More recently, as Rivlin was burying his wife of 48 years on what would have been her 74th birthday, Yair Netanyahu retweeted a satirical right-wing account mocking Rivlin for hypocrisy in defending the rule of law. — Noga Tarnopolsky, latimes.com, "Benjamin Netanyahu’s not-so-secret weapon: his son Yair, the Israeli leader’s defender in chief," 7 June 2019 And critics recently questioned the ranch’s claim to an agricultural tax break, as well as the environmental hypocrisy of driving on the beach. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "A look behind the Hollister Ranch gates. Will the public ever access these exclusive beaches?," 12 Apr. 2019 Groupies, doormen, hippies, astronauts, bankers and frat boys took on a magisterial presence in his writing, and if there was a hint of hypocrisy in their actions, then all the better. — Thomas Curwen, sacbee, "Tom Wolfe, novelist and pioneer of New Journalism, dies at 88 | The Sacramento Bee," 15 May 2018 Some Twitter users called out E!'s hypocrisy in co-signing the #TimesUp Movement, considering E! — Rawan Eewshah, Allure, "Debra Messing and Laura Dern Call Out E! at the 2018 Golden Globes," 7 Jan. 2018 Juan’s hypocrisy, judging other people’s morality while justifying his own covetousness, demonstrates such self-indulgence that perhaps only the double-dealing Pete Buttigieg could praise it. — Armond White, National Review, "Franco Zeffirelli: Unlikely Conservative Hero," 20 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hypocrisy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for hypocrisy

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

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More Definitions for hypocrisy

hypocrisy

noun

English Language Learners Definition of hypocrisy

disapproving : the behavior of people who do things that they tell other people not to do : behavior that does not agree with what someone claims to believe or feel

See the full definition for hypocrisy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hypocrisy

noun

hy·poc·ri·sy | \ hi-ˈpä-krə-sē

plural hypocrisies