noun

hypocrisy

/hɪˈpɒkrɪsi/ · say it: hih·PAH·kruh·see

claiming standards you do not follow yourself

In From the Opinion Pages

In more detail

1. (noun) the practice of claiming to have moral or religious beliefs that you do not actually have

2. (noun) behavior that does not match what you say you believe in

Examples

1. It is hypocrisy for him to preach honesty while he himself cheats on his taxes.
2. She criticized others for being lazy, but her own hypocrisy was obvious when she refused to do any work.

How to use hypocrisy

Hypocrisy refers to the act of pretending to hold beliefs or values that contradict one's actual behavior or beliefs. It carries strong moral condemnation and is used in formal and informal contexts alike to criticize inconsistency between stated and demonstrated principles. It differs from mere dishonesty by emphasizing the contradiction between public claims and private conduct.

Common phrases

blatant hypocrisy
expose hypocrisy
the height of hypocrisy
accused of hypocrisy
rank hypocrisy

Synonyms

duplicity · insincerity · falseness · two-facedness · pretense

Opposites

sincerity · authenticity · integrity

Word family

hypocrite (noun) · hypocritical (adjective) · hypocritically (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'hypocrisy' to mean simple dishonesty or lying; the key element is the contradiction between claimed beliefs and actual behavior.

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