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

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

• cant
• dissembling
• dissimulation
• insincerity
• piousness

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 Pax Americana was ever imperfect and to many people in the world, from Vietnam to Iraq, smacked of hypocrisy. —Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024

Later questions twist the knife even further, delving into white-guy hypocrisy around Black Lives Matter. —Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024

China has issued a strong rebuke to the United States, accusing it of hypocrisy over espionage following recent Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) efforts to recruit Chinese informants. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024

The borderline hypocrisy plays as more self-serving than self-aware. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sep. 2024

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

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