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
Free speech … depends on our ability to see through the hypocrisy of those who claim to defend it while working to suppress it.—
Andy Craig
Andy CraigHis 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
Lucius Garvin 2
: an act or instance of hypocrisy
a keen awareness of one's parents' hypocrisies
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
As Derya and Aziz’s hypocrisies, as upper-class intellectuals, are increasingly brought to the fore, Namal and Biçer’s conversational performances grow haggard and strained.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
When Bondi replied by accusing her of hypocrisy over a lack of similar questioning toward former Attorney General Merrick Garland, Jayapal interjected, trying to force an apology.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Feb. 2026
But to have the hypocrisy be laid out so starkly, just a few clicks away on the same website, is particularly galling.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
For progressives, the undisputed master of the viral protest song is the thirty-three-year-old folksinger Jesse Welles, who makes videos of himself standing in a field, singing clever miniature tunes about the hypocrisies of the health-care industry, tech billionaires, ICE.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypocrisy
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Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
When Bondi replied by accusing her of hypocrisy over a lack of similar questioning toward former Attorney General Merrick Garland, Jayapal interjected, trying to force an apology.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Feb. 2026
But to have the hypocrisy be laid out so starkly, just a few clicks away on the same website, is particularly galling.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
For progressives, the undisputed master of the viral protest song is the thirty-three-year-old folksinger Jesse Welles, who makes videos of himself standing in a field, singing clever miniature tunes about the hypocrisies of the health-care industry, tech billionaires, ICE.
—Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hypocrisy
Cite this Entry
“Hypocrisy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrisy. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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