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

Free speech … depends on our ability to see through the hypocrisy of those who claim to defend it while working to suppress it.

—Andy Craig

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 of hypocrisy

• deception
• deceit
• deceptiveness
• insincerity
• deceitfulness
• affectation

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

The Congresswoman said the Lieutenant Governor’s decision to center the matter of corporate PAC donations as a key differentiator in the race illustrates hypocrisy. —Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

In fact, the shenanigans in Kiffin’s bromance with LSU only accentuate the historic hypocrisy of the sport, where coaches are forgiven – indeed, often lauded – for seeking greener pastures but players are criticized (and in the past were punished) for getting theirs. —Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 2 Dec. 2025

The citizen in you laughs heartily as this film, a tragicomedy, skewers the hypocrisies and ironies of the repressed West. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2025

On the other side, opponents of slavery painted a picture of violence, injustice and the hypocrisy of professed Christians defending the sin of slavery. —Gerry Lanosga, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 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