hypocritical

adjective

hyp·​o·​crit·​i·​cal ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-kəl How to pronounce hypocritical (audio)
: characterized by behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel : characterized by hypocrisy
said that it was hypocritical to demand respect from students without respecting them in return
a hypocritical gesture of modesty and virtueRobert Graves
also : being a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings : being a hypocrite
hypocritically adverb

Examples of hypocritical in a Sentence

it's hypocritical to say mean things behind someone's back, and then to act nice when you want something from her
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Wednesday’s speech, some critics went online to accuse the governor of being hypocritical for making that charge against Trump in light of his pandemic actions. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025 Phil Lyman, a former state representative and Trump supporter who challenged Mr. Cox for governor last year, said politicians like Mr. Cox were hypocritical. Kellen Browning, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025 The Schimel campaign called the Wisconsin Democrats’ efforts hypocritical, referencing reporting that Crawford participated in a donor advisory briefing. Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 10 Mar. 2025 But spending taxpayer money for anything short of necessities comes off as hypocritical, at best, especially for Trump, as his administration guts federal agencies — including those Central Floridians rely on during times of their greatest need. The Orlando Sentinel and Santa Cruz Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hypocritical

Word History

Etymology

hypocritic "of a hypocrite" (borrowed from Medieval Latin hypocriticus, borrowed from Greek hypokritikós "of acting, skilled in rhetorical delivery," from hypokritḗs "answerer, actor on a stage" + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1 — more at hypocrite

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hypocritical was in 1553

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Cite this Entry

“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocritical. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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