as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have
the insincerity of the family's professed concern for the environment is pretty much exposed by the gas-guzzler parked in the driveway
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Recent Examples of insincerity
Allen’s combo of flip insincerity and kindly concern is a terrific treat, recalling Bill Murray at his doofy best.
—
Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
In an era of skepticism, audiences quickly detect insincerity.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And as the secretive Jack, Travis Van Winkle oozes oily, sexist insincerity.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
In an era of skepticism, audiences quickly detect insincerity.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And as the secretive Jack, Travis Van Winkle oozes oily, sexist insincerity.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insincerity
Noun
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In 2024, North Korea claimed to have successfully testlaunched a multiwarhead missile, but South Korea quickly dismissed it as deception to cover up a failed launch.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Mar. 2026
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These include debt bondage, restriction of movement, withholding of wages, excessive overtime, physical violence, surveillance, deception, isolation, abuse of vulnerability and abusive conditions.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Taking someone’s money by deceit is generally not allowed, and the misrepresentations contained in the contract could serve as proof of the alleged fraud.—
Robert L. Boone,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Their use of the well-being of Iranians as a justification for spending billions to topple the Islamic regime is just brazen hypocrisy.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
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The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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For the most part though, For the First Time, Again is weighed down by oversinging and emotional affectation.—
Millan Verma,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Perfidy — from the French perfidie via the Latin perfidia — means deceitfulness, treachery or a breach of faith or promise.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Maybe the pretense was comforting to him, too.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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As architectural fashion has shifted, the software is no longer associated with complex geometry, and the pretense that digital tools might liberate architects—spurring them to new heights of creativity—has faded.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insincerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insincerity. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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