Synonyms of hypocrite often come up when we talk about people who say one thing but do another. Imagine a friend who criticizes lying but then lies themselves. In such cases, knowing the right word helps you express the idea clearly. Learning synonyms of hypocrite makes your English stronger and more precise.
In daily life, the word hypocrite is common in conversations, social media, and writing. Students, bloggers, and content writers use it when describing behavior that feels fake or dishonest. Because of this, understanding synonyms of hypocrite can improve both speaking and writing skills.
Many English learners know only one or two words for this meaning. However, native speakers use many variations depending on tone and situation. By learning different synonyms of hypocrite, you can sound more natural and confident in real conversations.
This guide is helpful for students, writers, bloggers, and anyone who wants better vocabulary. When you understand synonyms of hypocrite, you can choose the perfect word for essays, stories, emails, or daily English.
📚 What Does “Hypocrite” Really Mean?
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition:
A hypocrite is a person who pretends to have good values or beliefs but behaves in a different or opposite way.
Native speakers use this word when someone’s actions do not match their words.
It often appears in arguments, discussions, politics, religion, and everyday conversations.
Example:
- He tells everyone to be honest, but he cheats. He is a hypocrite.
🧠 Connotative Meaning
(Connotation = the emotional feeling a word carries, beyond its basic meaning)
Positive tone: None
Neutral tone: Rare
Negative tone: Strongly negative
The word usually shows criticism or disappointment.
📖 Etymology
Origin: Greek → Latin → Old French → English
Greek: hypokrites = actor, stage performer
Latin: hypocrita = pretender
Old French: ypocrite
Old English (450–1100): word not common
Middle English (1100–1500): borrowed from French
Modern English (1500–Present): used for fake or insincere people
Pronunciation (IPA)
US: /ˈhɪpəˌkrɪt/
UK: /ˈhɪpəkrɪt/
Syllables: hyp-o-crite
Affixation Pattern
Root: hypocrit
Prefix: none
Suffix: none
📖 SYNONYMS LIST
Pretender (noun) — US /prɪˈtendər/ | UK /prɪˈtendə/
Meaning: A person who acts like something they are not.
Examples
- He is just a pretender who wants attention.
- She pretends to be kind, but she is not.
Phony (noun) — US /ˈfoʊni/ | UK /ˈfəʊni/
Meaning: A person who is fake or not sincere.
Examples
- He sounds nice, but he is a phony.
- Nobody trusts a phony person.
Fraud (noun) — US /frɔːd/ | UK /frɔːd/
Meaning: A person who lies to appear honest.
Examples
- He turned out to be a fraud.
- Everyone avoided the fraud.
Fake (noun) — US /feɪk/ | UK /feɪk/
Meaning: A person who is not genuine.
Examples
- He acts friendly but he is a fake.
- I don’t like fake people.
Impostor (noun) — US /ɪmˈpɑːstər/ | UK /ɪmˈpɒstə/
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be another person.
Examples
- The impostor fooled everyone.
- He felt like an impostor.
Charlatan (noun) — US /ˈʃɑːrlətən/ | UK /ˈʃɑːlətən/
Meaning: A person who pretends to have knowledge or skill.
Examples
- The doctor was a charlatan.
- People hate charlatans.
Two-faced (adj/noun) — US /ˌtuːˈfeɪst/ | UK /ˌtuːˈfeɪst/
Meaning: A person who behaves differently with different people.
Examples
- He is two-faced.
- I don’t trust two-faced friends.
Double-dealer (noun) — US /ˌdʌbəl ˈdiːlər/ | UK /ˌdʌbəl ˈdiːlə/
Meaning: A person who cheats both sides.
Examples
- He was a double-dealer.
- Nobody likes double-dealers.
Deceiver (noun) — US /dɪˈsiːvər/ | UK /dɪˈsiːvə/
Meaning: Someone who tricks people.
Examples
- He is a deceiver.
- The deceiver lied again.
Liar (noun) — US /ˈlaɪər/ | UK /ˈlaɪə/
Meaning: A person who does not tell the truth.
Examples
- He is a liar.
- Nobody trusts liars.
Trickster (noun) — US /ˈtrɪkstər/ | UK /ˈtrɪkstə/
Meaning: A person who likes to fool others.
Examples
- He is a trickster.
- The trickster fooled them.
Backstabber (noun) — US /ˈbækˌstæbər/ | UK /ˈbækˌstæbə/
Meaning: Someone who betrays secretly.
Examples
- He is a backstabber.
- I hate backstabbers.
Snake (informal noun) — US /sneɪk/ | UK /sneɪk/
Meaning: A dishonest or untrustworthy person.
Examples
- He is a snake.
- Stay away from that snake.
Sanctimonious person (noun) — US /ˌsæŋktəˈmoʊniəs/ | UK /ˌsæŋktɪˈməʊniəs/
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be morally better.
Examples
- He sounds sanctimonious.
- People dislike sanctimonious people.
Dissembler (noun) — US /dɪˈsemblər/ | UK /dɪˈsembələ/
Meaning: A person who hides the truth.
Examples
- He is a dissembler.
- The dissembler fooled them.
Insincere person (noun) — US /ˌɪnsɪnˈsɪr/ | UK /ˌɪnsɪnˈsɪə/
Meaning: Someone who is not honest.
Examples
- He sounds insincere.
- Insincere people lose trust.
Pretentious person (noun) — US /prɪˈtenʃəs/ | UK /prɪˈtenʃəs/
Meaning: Someone who tries to look better than they are.
Examples
- He is pretentious.
- Pretentious people annoy others.
False person (noun) — US /fɔːls/ | UK /fɔːls/
Meaning: Someone who is not true or honest.
Examples
- He is false.
- False friends hurt more.
Opportunist (noun) — US /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnɪst/ | UK /ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪst/
Meaning: A person who changes behavior for benefit.
Examples
- He is an opportunist.
- Opportunists follow power.
Manipulator (noun) — US /məˈnɪpjəleɪtər/ | UK /məˈnɪpjʊleɪtə/
Meaning: A person who controls others unfairly.
Examples
- He is a manipulator.
- Manipulators fool people.
Schemer (noun) — US /ˈskiːmər/ | UK /ˈskiːmə/
Meaning: A person who makes secret plans.
Examples
- He is a schemer.
- The schemer planned everything.
Con artist (noun) — US /ˈkɑːn ˌɑːrtɪst/ | UK /ˈkɒn ˌɑːtɪst/
Meaning: A person who tricks others for money.
Examples
- He is a con artist.
- Con artists lie easily.
Swindler (noun) — US /ˈswɪndlər/ | UK /ˈswɪndlə/
Meaning: Someone who cheats people.
Examples
- He is a swindler.
- The swindler ran away.
Betrayer (noun) — US /bɪˈtreɪər/ | UK /bɪˈtreɪə/
Meaning: A person who breaks trust.
Examples
- He is a betrayer.
- Betrayers lose friends.
Turncoat (noun) — US /ˈtɝːnˌkoʊt/ | UK /ˈtɜːnkəʊt/
Meaning: A person who changes sides.
Examples
- He is a turncoat.
- Nobody trusts turncoats.
Poser (noun) — US /ˈpoʊzər/ | UK /ˈpəʊzə/
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be something.
Examples
- He is a poser.
- Posers want attention.
Double-crosser (noun) — US /ˌdʌbəl ˈkrɔːsər/ | UK /ˌdʌbəl ˈkrɒsə/
Meaning: A person who betrays after agreement.
Examples
- He is a double-crosser.
- Double-crossers are dangerous.
Pharisee (noun) — US /ˈfærəˌsiː/ | UK /ˈfærɪsiː/
Meaning: A person who pretends to be very moral.
Examples
- He sounds like a Pharisee.
- People dislike Pharisees.
Sham (noun) — US /ʃæm/ | UK /ʃæm/
Meaning: Someone or something fake.
Examples
- He is a sham.
- The whole act was a sham.
Fraudster (noun) — US /ˈfrɔːdstər/ | UK /ˈfrɔːdstə/
Meaning: A person who cheats people.
Examples
- He is a fraudster.
- Fraudsters get caught.
Bluffer (noun) — US /ˈblʌfər/ | UK /ˈblʌfə/
Meaning: Someone who pretends confidence.
Examples
- He is a bluffer.
- Bluffers talk big.
Mask-wearer (noun) — US /mæsk ˈwerər/ | UK /mɑːsk ˈweərə/
Meaning: A person hiding real personality.
Examples
- He is a mask-wearer.
- Mask-wearers fool others.
🔍 Synonyms for “Hypocrite” by Tone
Negative: fake, fraud, liar, cheat, betrayer, snake
Neutral: pretender, actor, poser
Formal: charlatan, dissembler, pharisee
Informal: phony, fake friend, two-faced
Tone matters because some words sound rude, some formal, and some casual.
⚖️ “Hypocrite” vs Close Alternatives
| Word | Difference |
|---|---|
| Hypocrite | Says one thing, does another |
| Fake | Not real, general meaning |
| Charlatan | Pretends to have skill |
| Two-faced | Different behavior with people |
Use hypocrite for moral behavior,
fake for personality,
charlatan for knowledge,
two-faced for relationships.
🧠 How “Hypocrite” Changes by Context
Daily conversation
Used when angry or disappointed.
Writing / blogging
Used in opinion articles.
Professional tone
Use insincere, deceptive.
Creative writing
Use snake, charlatan, fraud.
⚠️ Common Mistakes Learners Make
Wrong tone
Calling teacher hypocrite → too rude
Overuse
Use synonyms instead.
Confusion
Fake ≠ hypocrite always.
Register notes
Formal → charlatan
Informal → phony
(See also synonyms of liar for related words.)
🧩 Real-Life Examples Using “Hypocrite”
Workplace
Boss says be on time but comes late.
Social
Friend talks bad behind back.
Media
Villain acts kind but evil.
Writing
Story character hides truth.
✅ Conclusion
Learning synonyms of hypocrite helps you describe people more clearly. Instead of repeating one word, you can choose the perfect expression for each situation.
Strong vocabulary makes your writing sound natural. Bloggers, students, and English learners all benefit from knowing different ways to say the same idea.
When you understand tone and context, your speaking becomes more confident. Native speakers use many variations, and now you can use them too.
Practice these words in essays, emails, and conversations. The more you use synonyms of hypocrite, the easier English communication becomes.
📝 Practice Exercise
Choose the correct word.
- He lies a lot. He is a ___
A) fraud B) table C) river - She acts nice but is fake
A) phony B) tree C) book - He pretends to know everything
A) charlatan B) chair C) pen - He betrayed his friend
A) traitor B) singer C) driver - He cheats people
A) swindler B) apple C) car - He talks good but acts bad
A) hypocrite B) dog C) sky - He fools others
A) deceiver B) plate C) water - He changes sides
A) turncoat B) door C) lamp - He hides truth
A) dissembler B) shoe C) road - He acts different behind back
A) two-faced B) cloud C) stone - He lies for money
A) con artist B) bird C) tea - He pretends rich
A) poser B) milk C) sand - He cheats friend
A) betrayer B) phone C) leaf - He acts holy but bad
A) pharisee B) cup C) rice - He tricks people
A) trickster B) grass C) rain
Answer key:
1A 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A 9A 10A 11A 12A 13A 14A 15A
