A hypocrite is someone who says one thing but does another, especially when they criticize others for behavior they practice themselves. When your friend lectures you about being late to meet up but then shows up 20 minutes late, that's hypocritical. When someone insists everyone follow the classroom rules but then breaks those same rules when the teacher isn't looking, they're being a hypocrite.

The word comes from ancient Greek theater, where actors wore masks and pretended to be someone else. A hypocrite wears an invisible mask, pretending to have beliefs or standards they don't actually follow.

What makes hypocrisy frustrating is the double standard. A hypocrite might tell you to stop wasting time on video games while they spend hours scrolling through their phone. They might criticize a classmate for bragging about test scores, then brag about their own achievements. The problem isn't just that they're doing something wrong; it's that they're judging others for the exact same thing.

People sometimes act hypocritically without realizing it. We all have moments when our actions don't match our words perfectly. But a true hypocrite regularly demands standards from others that they refuse to meet themselves, creating rules for everyone else while making exceptions for their own behavior.