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

Speaking with a direct, calm urgency, Mumia Abu-Jamal has much to say about the demise of due process, the hypocrisies of the Constitution, and the long political road that has delivered us to the current crisis. —Dave Zirin, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025

Lucy Ash, The Baton and the Cross This book was largely motivated by anger at the hypocrisy of senior clerics and politicians who profess great piety but whose actions are anything but Christian. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2025

With their actions and proposals, McMahon and the GOP lawmakers have underscored the majestic hypocrisy of the student debt debate. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025

Luckily, the show largely recognizes the wider picture is infinitely more interesting, exploring themes — albeit on a surface level — of political unrest, grief, and, most notably, the power and hypocrisies of faith. —Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 10 June 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