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

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

hypocritically

ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of hypocritical

• fake
• double
• meaningless
• superficial
• lip
• insincere
• strained
• hollow
• pretended
• artificial
• unnatural
• backhanded
• pious

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

Some players cited the league’s partnerships with sports betting companies as hypocritical or even laying the foundation for this sort of scandal. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Amendments placed on the ballot by lawmakers would still need only a statewide majority — a distinction critics call hypocritical. — Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026

The public is equally free to find the position ridiculous and hypocritical, and choose to support other leagues that better represent their feelings. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026

Given Holzinger’s notoriety, and her own ironic relationship to extremes, her use of trigger warnings, posted before every performance, may seem beside the point, or even hypocritical. — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

hypocritic "of a hypocrite" (borrowed from Medieval Latin hypocriticus, borrowed from Greek hypokritikós "of acting, skilled in rhetorical delivery," from hypokritḗs "answerer, actor on a stage" + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1 — more at hypocrite

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hypocritical

• analytical
• apolitical
• diacritical
• hypercritical
• nonpolitical
• parasitical
• supercritical
• critical
• geopolitical
• levitical
• noncritical
• political