hypocritical

[ hip-uh-krit-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. of the nature of hypocrisy, or pretense of having virtues, beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually possess:

   The parent who has a “do what I say and not what I do” attitude can appear hypocritical to a child.

2. possessing the characteristics of hypocrisy:

   Isn't a politician hypocritical for talking about human dignity while voting against reasonable social programs?

Other Words From

• hypo·criti·cal·ly adverb
• unhyp·o·criti·cal adjective
• unhyp·o·criti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hypocritical¹

First recorded in 1515–25; equivalent to Greek hypokritik(ós) (from hypokritḗs “a stage actor” + -ikós -ic ( def ) ) + -al ¹( def ); hypocrite ( def )

Example Sentences

Just as it was hypocritical for Newsom to attend that dinner party, it’s hypocritical to claim that people know to social distance and to insist you follow the science while hosting indoor holiday parties.

From Washington Post

“It seems hypocritical to throw him into the fire when we’ve been putting up with so much worse,” Brandon Barber, 32, an unaffiliated voter who works in finance and served as an Army medic in Iraq, said of Cunningham.

From Washington Post

It’s hypocritical if he expects the population to be able to do that, because the task force he constituted is recommending it, yet he’s not doing it.

From Fortune

Being hypocritical and miserly are what Falwell is being roasted for.

From Ozy

If they don’t, DTC startups risk coming across as hypocritical if they try to market themselves as championing diversity, inclusion and transparency, but customers learn their retail employees had a different experience.

From Digiday

“They are hypocritical on this very issue,” Shearer said about Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and other public officials.

From The Daily Beast

Similarly, the shocking demand among some Republicans for greater action—for ground troops, even—is equally hypocritical.

From The Daily Beast

The double standard of sexualization is hypocritical at best and ineffectively vindictive at worse.

From The Daily Beast

Meanwhile, the hypocritical pageants that rejected her continue to see their cultural relevance—and TV ratings—decline.

From The Daily Beast

On spending and economic issues, he was atrocious and hypocritical in all the ways that a Republican can be.

From The Daily Beast

God rejects the hypocritical fasts of the Jews: recommends works of mercy, and sincere godliness.

From Project Gutenberg

Pope-holy; properly an adjective, meaning 'holy as a pope,' hence, hypocritical.

From Project Gutenberg

He even joined with some show of interest (of course hypocritical) in the conversation.

From Project Gutenberg

Calvin gave birth, by the sternness of his doctrines and his executions, to that form of hypocritical sentiment called "cant."

From Project Gutenberg

The hypocritical ceremony continued some time, when the warriors began talking among themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deceptive
• duplicitous
• false
• insincere
• sanctimonious
• self-righteous
• unnatural