HYPOCRITICAL Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

hypocritical

adjective

ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-kəl

Definition of hypocritical

as in fake

not being or expressing what one appears to be or express it's hypocritical to say mean things behind someone's back, and then to act nice when you want something from her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hypocritical And members of these new churches were mostly not the black-dressed, hypocritical, sour-faced, monocultural figures favored by popular narrative, but often included colorful figures who were sometimes surprisingly modern in their desires. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake. — Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026 That some people in these industries, including those who are well paid, would look at our economy and seek out other ways of doing things is neither hypocritical nor surprising. — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for hypocritical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypocritical

Adjective

When Lee gets to the visitation window, there’s a fake Mekko sitting across from him.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
The fake image was attention-grabbing, shady, and timely — in other words, perfect for social media virality but a potential liability for the parties involved.

— Mia Sato, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

The double-slit experiment, for example, is a classic setup where scientists send particles through two gaps in a screen and observe a resulting interference pattern, proving that the particles act as waves.

— Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Saturday night, the Hurricanes outlasted Florida State, 43-35, the double overtime game adding another epic episode to the rivalry.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of double

Adjective

Over the next two games, defenses stopped Baugh in his tracks, limiting him to just 72 yards on 27 carries and a meaningless TD late in a 38-19 loss to South Carolina.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
The point is that in this new format, games that take place in September, or even early October, will feel more meaningless than ever.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of meaningless

Adjective

Vascular experts break down the differences between superficial and deep vein thromboses, the possibly life-threatening complication of pulmonary embolism and what treatment typically looks like.

— Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
Hurts, 28, was diagnosed earlier this month with a superficial blood clot in his leg that then traveled to his lungs, developing into deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, the Eagles said Monday in a joint statement with Hurts' agent.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of superficial

Adjective

Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.

— Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.

— Essence, Essence, 23 Nov. 2025

Definition of lip

Adjective

Leigh feared the tracks might be too arch, too pretentious, too insincere.

— Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
After the ceremony, Lewandowski spoke to Polish football show Moc Futbolu and reportedly labeled Messi’s Ballon d’Or speech as insincere.

— Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of insincere

Adjective

Rice could return in the coming week after suffering a strained hamstring.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
As an 'artificial friend' purchased for an ailing teen, Jenna Ortega tries hard to illuminate this misbegotten Kazuo Ishiguro adaptation, but Waititi's decision to play it for strained, whimsical comedy is ruinous.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of strained

Browse Nearby Words

hypocrites

hypocritical

hypocritically

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypocritical. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hypocritical

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vocation

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes