hypocrisy

American  

[hi-pok-ruh-see] / hɪˈpɒk rə si /

noun

plural

hypocrisies

1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.

3. an act or instance of hypocrisy.

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hypocrisy British  

/ hɪˈpɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc, contrary to one's real character or actual behaviour, esp the pretence of virtue and piety

2. an act or instance of this

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Related Words

See duplicity.

Other Word Forms

• hyperhypocrisy noun

Etymology

Origin of hypocrisy

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ipocrisie, from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypókrisis “play acting,” from hypokrī(nesthai)́ “to play a part, explain” (from hypo- hypo- + krī́nein “to distinguish, separate”) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Scott Shambaugh woke up early Wednesday morning to learn that an artificial intelligence bot had written a blog post accusing him of hypocrisy and prejudice.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The fact that they’re engaging in that while arguing for a unified sense of documentation shows the hypocrisy,” Hancock said.

From Salon

The French aphorist François de La Rochefoucauld remarked that “hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"I have not seen so much hypocrisy in his criticism for a long time, and from all sides," he said.

From BBC

It is worse than hypocrisy, because they seek to deceive not only others but themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bigotry
• deceit
• deception
• dishonesty
• duplicity
• fraud
• insincerity
• mockery