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

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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 Bronin’s campaign argued that Larson calling out tech and private equity donations to the former mayor is hypocritical when the congressman has received his own. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026 Earlier this month, Matsui’s campaign came after Vang for taking corporate donations from Sacramento-area businesses during her city council campaigns, implying that Vang’s vows to not accept money from corporate PACs in her congressional bid is hypocritical. — Mathew Miranda june 4, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026 People are fixating on celebrities of all kinds, accusing singers of body-positive anthems of being hypocritical, rolling their eyes at athletes promoting weight loss drugs and whispering about the thinness of their favorite movie stars. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 29 May 2026 But, resonance can backfire, as seen in the widespread criticism of the recent Met Gala’s hypocritical celebrity excess. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hypocritical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypocritical

Adjective

Multiple schools are at the center of incidents in which teens are facing legal consequences for generating fake explicit images of their classmates.

— Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Gen Alphas seem to know almost immediately when something is fake, overproduced, delayed or culturally disconnected, which is why the strongest content right now often feels chaotic.

— Kelly Samuel, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of fake

Adjective

Ask Italian soccer club AS Roma, which on Wednesday made a double announcement that took the cross-pollination between the two fields to the next level.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
Among the highlights is a double-height living room with a fireplace, a seated bar, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling out to an expansive deck sporting a covered entertaining area, plus a pool and spa.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 July 2026

Definition of double

Adjective

But that pledge does little to address the creation of deepfakes themselves, and is meaningless without digital tools that make detecting deepfakes possible.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026
The show also underscores the frustration of meaningless tasks, mirroring widespread disengagement when work lacks clear purpose.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of meaningless

Adjective

Reddington also took exception to the prosecution's description of injuries to Clancy's neck and wrists, which had been called superficial.

— Kristina Rex, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Medicare Advantage, despite offering more benefits and cost caps, faces issues with gaming, excessive prior authorization, and a focus on superficial perks.

— Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 28 July 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

Along with the heavy-duty foundation raft, the tower consisted of a hollow concrete core running the complete height of the building, tapering from 35 ft (11 m) at the base to 22 ft (7 m) at the top, with a corresponding thinning of the core walls.

— David Szondy August 01, New Atlas, 1 Aug. 2026
That sounds hollow when women’s basketball players are leading the largest college-athlete union campaign yet.

— Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of hollow

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“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypocritical. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of hypocritical

adjective

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