hypocritical

adjective

hyp·o·crit·i·cal | \ ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-kəl

Definition of hypocritical

: characterized by behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel : characterized by hypocrisy said that it was hypocritical to demand respect from students without respecting them in return a hypocritical gesture of modesty and virtue —Robert Graves also : being a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings : being a hypocrite

Other Words from hypocritical Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about hypocritical

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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

Trump, Sanders and those making similar points arguing criticism of Haspel is hypocritical either do not understand the argument those wanting more gender diversity in the Trump administration are making — or at worse, are appealing to tokenism. — Eugene Scott, Washington Post, "White House is playing the ‘woman’ card in response to concerns about Gina Haspel," 7 May 2018 But his critics say that idea is hypocritical because Thompson’s recently remodeled home is one of the largest mansions on the coast. — Phil Diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Mansion owner taking sand squabble to ballot box," 4 July 2018 Democrats say McConnell is being hypocritical in moving forward with the nomination. — Kevin Freking, The Seattle Times, "What to expect in the Supreme Court confirmation battle," 9 July 2018 That, combined with Trump’s policy of ripping migrant children from their parents’ arms, makes the U.S. stance on the U.N. council look, well, hypocritical. — Trudy Rubin, Philly.com, "U.S. withdrawal from U.N. Human Rights Council reflects Trump hypocrisy | Trudy Rubin," 20 June 2018 After that back-and-forth with Trump, Jerry — who has been criticized for being incompetent, hypocritical, and a relentless meddler — was an easy target for sports journalists and critics who were angry with the duality of his actions and words. — refinery29.com, "How Charlotte Jones Anderson Became The NFL's "Ivanka Trump"," 15 June 2018 Some readers took the article as hypocritical, given the enthusiasm with which the media seemed to cheerfully spotlight pop stars who spoke up for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Who Is to Blame for Kanye West's MAGA Hat?," 26 Apr. 2018 Journalist Chuck Todd, who is apparently unfamiliar with McConnell’s work, joined Democrats in wondering how the GOP could justify such hypocritical behavior. — Margaret Hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Scolded For Misusing Mitch McConnell’s Made Up Supreme Court Rule," 28 June 2018 The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council looks especially hypocritical in light of how migrant children are being treated at the border, writes columnist Trudy Rubin. — Aubrey Nagle, Philly.com, "Philly fights summer hunger, school district plans massive cleanup | Morning Newsletter," 21 June 2018

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