Hypocritical – Definition, Meaning and Synonyms

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Definition of Hypocritical (adjective)

Hypocritical is an adjective that describes someone who pretends to have moral standards or beliefs they do not possess. It suggests deceit or insincerity, particularly when someone’s actions contradict their professed values.

Examples

  • His hypocritical behaviour undermined his credibility.
  • She made hypocritical remarks about honesty and trust.
  • The politician’s hypocritical stance on the issue angered many.
  • His hypocritical actions were exposed during the trial.
  • Her hypocritical support for the cause was obvious.
  • The hypocritical celebrity’s charity work seemed self-serving.
  • His hypocritical apology felt insincere and forced.
  • They criticized his hypocritical attitude towards the environment.

Meaning

  • Deceptive
  • Insincere
  • Contradictory
  • Pretentious
  • Dishonest
  • Two-faced
  • Phony
  • False
  • Deceitful
  • Untruthful

Pronunciation

  • UK: /ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəl/ (HIP-uh-KRIT-ih-kul)
  • US: /ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəl/ (HIP-uh-KRIT-ih-kul)

Synonyms

  • Deceptive
  • Dishonest
  • Two-faced
  • Insincere
  • Pretentious
  • Phony
  • False
  • Double-dealing
  • Untrustworthy
  • Fake
  • Disingenuous
  • Unprincipled

Usage Tips for Hypocritical

  • It is used to describe actions or statements that contradict stated values.
  • Implicates a lack of integrity or honesty.
  • Avoid using it for minor contradictions.
  • Best used for exposing moral or ethical contradictions.

Origin

Hypocritical (1700s):

It is derived from the Greek hypokritēs, meaning actor or pretender. The term originally referred to stage performers but later extended to people pretending in real life.

Similar Words to Hypocritical

  • Dishonest
  • Deceptive
  • Insincere
  • Two-faced
  • Phony
  • Disingenuous
  • False
  • Untrustworthy
  • Fake
  • Pretentious

FAQs

Q: What is the meaning of hypocritical in Urdu?

Ans: In Urdu, hypocritical means منافق or جھوٹا.

Q: How do we use hypocritical in a sentence?

Ans: His hypocritical remarks about ethics were dismissed by the public.

Q: What’s the difference between hypocritical and dishonest?

Ans: Hypocritical emphasizes a false moral stance, while dishonesty refers more broadly to lying or cheating.

Related Words:

Abandon Baffle Callous
Abhor Ban Chaotic
Abysmal Barbaric Cheap
Aggressive Betray Chide
Agony Bitter Complicate
Alienate Blame Condemn
Anguish Blight Confuse
Annoy Boring Corrupt
Anxious Brash Cruel
Arrogant Brutal Cynical
Damage Egotistical Fail
Danger Embarrass Fake
Deceive Enrage Fallacy
Defeat Envy Fatal
Defiant Erratic Fear
Depress Evade Feeble
Deride Exclude Feud
Despair Exhaust Flaw
Destroy Exploit Foolish
Disgust Extort Frustrate
Garrulous Haphazard Ignorant
Gaudy Harass Illogical
Glutton Harm Immature
Grieve Harsh Impair
Grudge Hate Impede
Gullible Heinous Impolite
Grimy Horrible Inane
Grievous Hostile Incite
Grim Humiliate Incompetent
Grotesque Hypocritical Infuriate
Jealous Kill Lame
Jittery Knavish Languish
Jeer Knock Lazy
Jaded Kooky Liable
Jaundiced Kink Lie
Jeopardize Keen Loathe
Jarring Jitter Lousy
Jinx Judge Ludicrous
Malice Nasty Obnoxious
Manipulate Neglect Obsessive
Meddle Nefarious Obsolete
Menace Nuisance Odious
Miserable Numb Offend
Mock Nullify Ominous
Morose Nag Oppress
Mourn Nauseate Outrage
Muddle Niggardly Overwhelm
Mute Nonchalant Ostracize
Pain Quarrel Rabid
Panic Quash Rage
Pathetic Queasy Rant
Peril Quibble Rebuff
Pessimistic Quicksand Reckless
Pity Quell Regret
Plague Quarrelsome Reject
Plummet Quixotic Repress
Prejudice Quack Repulse
Provoke Quicksilver Resent
Sabotage Tarnish Ugly
Sad Tease Unfair
Scorn Terrify Unkind
Slander Threat Untrustworthy
Sneer Tragic Upset
Spite Treacherous Useless
Stubborn Troubled Uproar
Subdue Turbulent Unyielding
Suffocate Tyrant Unstable
Suspicious Tense Uncouth
Vague Wail Xenophobic
Vain Weary Vex
Vengeful Wicked Whine
Vicious Withdraw Yell
Vindictive Worry Yucky
Violent Wound Yawn
Vile Wrath Zany
Volatile Wretched Zealot
Voracious Wince Zombie

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