hypocritical
Americanadjective
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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.
-
possessing the characteristics of hypocrisy.
Isn't a politician hypocritical for talking about human dignity while voting against reasonable social programs?
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hypocritical
First recorded in 1515–25; equivalent to Greek hypokritik(ós) (from hypokritḗs “a stage actor” + -ikós -ic ( def. ) ) + -al 1 ( def. ); see hypocrite ( def. )
Explanation
Hypocritical involves acting in a way that goes against your stated beliefs. If you drive drunk despite the fact that you are the president of Students Against Drunk Driving, you are truly hypocritical. Hypocritical comes from the Greek hypokritikos which means acting a part. The word comes up most often when discussing political and religious figures who are sometimes caught engaging in behavior that goes against their professed beliefs. A person who engages in hypocritical behavior could be called a hypocrite, their behavior, an act of hypocrisy.
Vocabulary lists containing hypocritical
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On the left, there are those who denounce these words as hypocritical, in 1776 and today.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
Bill Plaschke’s column criticizing Caitlin Clark as a whiny, entitled player who constantly complains to officials and her coach would be laughable if not so hypocritical.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
Judge Ross is the latest in a long line of examples of the most hypocritical double standard: Judges hold others accountable for misconduct but are never held accountable themselves.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
Most of these voters didn’t want to say that they like it when politicians are hypocritical.
From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026
He did everything possible to probe and expose the hypocritical rhetoric surrounding the Indian Creek Dam—the state engineer’s pronouncement, for example, that it was “the only way to save a dying culture.”
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
