as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
it's hypocritical to say mean things behind someone's back, and then to act nice when you want something from her
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Recent Examples of hypocritical
The United States might start to see itself as others do—self-righteous, hypocritical, futile—tire of its own platitudes and lies, and consider a change.
—
Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
When schools prohibit students from using AI while allowing teachers unrestricted access, the message becomes hypocritical.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
And to be honest George is being a little hypocritical.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
But another may be a sense that Western nations are being hypocritical.
—Salil Tripathi, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypocritical
Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
When schools prohibit students from using AI while allowing teachers unrestricted access, the message becomes hypocritical.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
And to be honest George is being a little hypocritical.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
But another may be a sense that Western nations are being hypocritical.
—Salil Tripathi, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hypocritical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hypocritical
Adjective
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Colbert made several jokes about needing a job and even brought a fake resume with a youthful headshot of himself.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Nepalese government, citing concerns over fake accounts, hate speech, disinformation and fraud, said the measures were to ensure accountability and make operators responsible for content on their platforms.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The addition of the Warlock-like floaty jump (sorry, there are just a lot of Destiny things) is very good, as is the base level double jump all characters have.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The patterns will suit any stripe preference, from the wider Pembroke in pine green and sandstone to the mini- and double-stripe options.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Negotiations are meaningless unless Putin begins to pay a price in tougher economic sanctions and greater military support to Ukraine.—
Oleksandra Matviichuk,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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These meaningless phrases could describe any coach on the planet.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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What most activates Dunn’s rage is the misogyny that only deepened amid all the pretended freedoms of the counterculture.—
Sam Sacks,
WSJ,
11 Nov. 2022
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The woman is long gone, so Freer has to imagine her consent — in a history so full of gaps, coercion, and disappearance, a pretended connection is better than none at all.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2022
Adjective
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Although childish and superficial, his renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War doesn’t telegraph a love of peace.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Japanese capital is a global leader in wellness innovation, where spas prioritize holistic health over superficial beauty, utilizing cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies.—
Terry Elward,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
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By After Testing Over 30 Best Sellers By Siena Gagliano Unlike balms, which can make lip color slide around, a primer locks it in while keeping lips soft and comfortable.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But Oz’s move back to Pennsylvania not long before running for Senate came across as insincere.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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For one, Vitale writes that the sort of direct-to-camera monologues that have become the toast of Bourdainposting were, in Bourdain’s eyes, corny and insincere.—
Tres Dean,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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One of the main challenges facing the economy is the strained relationship between Beijing and Washington as disputes over technology and geopolitics mount.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
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Photothek via Getty Images Against the backdrop of a strained labour market, many workers feel obliged to overperform.—
Alliance Manchester Business School,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hypocritical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hypocritical. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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