hypocritical
adjective
hyp·o·crit·i·cal
ˌhi-pə-ˈkri-ti-kəl 
: characterized by behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel : characterized by hypocrisy
a hypocritical attitude/argument
said that it was hypocritical to demand respect from students without respecting them in return
a hypocritical gesture of modesty and virtue—
Robert Graves
Robert Graves
also
: being a person whose actions are contrary to their stated beliefs or feelings : being a hypocrite
… is famous for his … acidic takedowns of craven and hypocritical politicians. —Brett Lang
Brett Lang 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
To expel a Democrat and leave a Republican alone would strike many voters as hypocritical.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Last month, White criticized the president’s declaration of war against Iran and his hypocritical stance on peace.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Thomas Jefferson, the great hero of the Declaration of Independence, is shown as hypocritical, cowardly, manipulative, a schemer of every kind.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
However, following those initial thoughts, Hov admitted that his stance on rap battles can be viewed as hypocritical given his own history of rhyme wars, particularly his clash with Nas during the early ’00s.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypocritical
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Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
Last month, White criticized the president’s declaration of war against Iran and his hypocritical stance on peace.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Thomas Jefferson, the great hero of the Declaration of Independence, is shown as hypocritical, cowardly, manipulative, a schemer of every kind.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
However, following those initial thoughts, Hov admitted that his stance on rap battles can be viewed as hypocritical given his own history of rhyme wars, particularly his clash with Nas during the early ’00s.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypocritical
Cite this Entry
“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocritical. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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