Synonyms for pharisee
noun hypocrite- actor
- backslider
- bigot
- bluffer
- casuist
- charlatan
- cheat
- crook
- deceiver
- decoy
- dissembler
- dissimulator
- fake
- faker
- four-flusher
- fraud
- hook
- humbug
- impostor
- informer
- malingerer
- masquerader
- mountebank
- phony
- playactor
- poser
- pretender
- quack
- smoothie
- sophist
- swindler
- trickster
- two-timer
- attitudinizer
- con artist
- lip server
- two-face
- wolf in sheep's clothing
tartuffe
noun. hypocrite
- actor
- attitudinizer
- backslider
- bigot
- bluffer
- casuist
- charlatan
- cheat
- con artist
- crook
- deceiver
- decoy
- dissembler
- dissimulator
- fake
- faker
- four-flusher
- fraud
- hook
- humbug
- impostor
- informer
- lip server
- malingerer
- masquerader
- mountebank
- pharisee
- phony
- playactor
- poser
- pretender
- quack
- smoothie
- sophist
- swindler
- trickster
- two-face
- two-timer
- wolf in sheep's clothing
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the
Philip Lief Group.
Word Origin & History
from Old English Fariseos, Old French pharise (13c.), and directly from Late Latin Pharisæus, from Greek Pharisaios, from Aramaic perishayya, emphatic plural of perish "separated, separatist," corresponding to Hebrew parush, from parash "he separated." Ancient Jewish sect (2c. B.C.E.-1c. C.E.) distinguished by strict observance but regarded as pretentious and self-righteous, at least by Jesus (Matt. xxiii:27). Meaning "self-righteous person, formalist, hypocrite" is attested from 1580s.