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When someone has said something incredibly hypocritical, you might respond, "That's rich." This helps you express how disgusted you are about the hypocrisy.

What's a formal alternative to rich used in this way?

Example of how I would like to use the word:

It is __________ (adj) [or, it is the height of _________ (noun)] for the school to claim that such-and-so change to the student's 504 plan was made based on the parents' input. In fact, the parents had strenuously objected to the change for the following reasons: ....

But hypocrisy isn't strong enough.

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    Hypocrites is what the Scribes and the Pharisees were. I can't think of anything much stronger than that!
    – WS2
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 13:51
  • 'Precious', or the stronger 'priceless', are sometimes used.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 14:15
  • @EdwinAshworth - With priceless, it isn't clear enough that I'm making a strong criticism, but I looked it up in the idioms dictionary that J O S H pointed me to, and found hilarious. Hmm. Probably not formal enough.
    – aparente001
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 15:40
  • @WS2 - But saying "that's a hilarious statement" feels stronger to me than "that statement is the height of hypocrisy." I want to show the feeling of bitter disgust.
    – aparente001
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 15:42
  • 'That's ludicrous' is stronger still, but is not anti-hypocrisy specific.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 17:10

4 Answers 4

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I think maybe I got it:

It is a cruel joke for the school to claim etc.

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  • Best idea so far, in my view. I don't see how things like precious priceless and hilarious etc fit the bill at all. They are just mild sarcasm - nowhere as strong as hypocrisy.
    – WS2
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 17:34
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"Disingenuous" is what you're looking for, I think.

M-W:

not truly honest or sincere : giving the false appearance of being honest or sincere

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How about absurd beyond belief?

M-W:

absurd: ridiculously unreasonable, unsound, or incongruous

Your example:

It is absurd beyond belief for the school to claim that such-and-so change to the student's 504 plan was made based on the parents' input. In fact, the parents had strenuously objected to the change for the following reasons: ...

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  • This is promising.
    – aparente001
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 15:52
  • But not necessarily anti-hypocrisy the way 'rich' is.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 17:11
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    The example is not so much about hypocrisy as it is about the school claiming something that is ridiculously intrue. Where's the hypocrisy? Hypocrisy and falsehood / disingenuousness are two different things. You're off base.
    – Richard Kayser
    Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 17:44
  • Richard Kayser is right. If the parents objecting to the plan clearly outnumbered the parents supporting the plan, the school is simply being dishonest (although strictly speaking it may be basing its decision on some parents' input). I might just use 'dishonest' (or possibly 'disingenuous') preceded by an intensifying adverb like 'absurdly'.
    – Yeltommo
    Commented Nov 5, 2023 at 23:34
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i'm not sure if you're still looking for answers but i mainly am basing my input off of related words and I think what you're offended by is the amount of entitlement so I looked up some synonyms and there is impudence. Condescension. the term "adding insult to injury" comes to mind. indignity. blind arrogance. i'm sorry if you don't like any of these I just thought I'd throw some suggestions out there.

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