Hypocrisy is when someone pretendsacts as if something is true, even though it is not to believe something, support something, or have certain good qualities, but their real views or behavior do not match. It often suggests insinceritylack of genuine feeling or honesty in words or actions and a gapa noticeable difference or separation between two things between what a person says and what they do.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /hɪˈpɑkrəsi/
Easy pronunciation: hih-PAH-kruh-see (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: PAH.
Noun; use the sense meaning insincerity or pretending to have beliefs or qualities you do not really have.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Hypocrisy Meaning
pretending to be more honest, moral, or supportive than you really are
Part of speech: noun
Definition: insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have
Example: His speech about honesty sounded convincing, but his actions were pure hypocrisy.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- hypocrisy — The target word itself; included only to reflect the base lexical entry.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Hypocrisy
Meaning 2
saying you agree when you do not really believe it
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an expression of agreement that is not supported by real conviction
Example: Her praise felt like hypocrisy because she clearly did not mean it
Synonyms for this meaning:
- lip service — A strong match for this narrower sense of saying the right thing without real belief.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Hypocrisy Synonyms
saying you agree without real belief
- lip service
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing hypocrisy with simple lying: hypocrisy usually involves pretending to be virtuous, sincere, or supportive while acting differently.
- Using hypocrisy for any mistake or inconsistency; it specifically suggests insincerity or double standards.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does hypocrisy mean in simple words?
It means pretending to believe or support something, or pretending to have good qualities, when your real beliefs or behavior do not match.
Is hypocrisy the same as lying?
Not exactly. Lying is saying something false. Hypocrisy is more about pretending to be sincere, moral, or supportive while your actions or real beliefs do not match.
What is a common synonym for hypocrisy?
A close synonym for one sense of hypocrisy is lip service, especially when someone says they agree but does not באמת mean it or support it in practice.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-17. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.