dishonest

adjective

dis·hon·est (ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst

also (ˌ)diz-

Synonyms of dishonest next

obsolete : shameful, unchaste

: characterized by lack of truth, honesty, or trustworthiness : unfair, deceptive

dishonestly adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for dishonest

dishonest, deceitful, mendacious, untruthful mean unworthy of trust or belief.

dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.

the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse

mendacious may suggest bland or even harmlessly mischievous deceit and when used of people often suggests a habit of telling untruths.

mendacious tales of adventure

untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

Examples of dishonest in a Sentence

She gave dishonest answers to our questions. I think he is being dishonest about how much he knows

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But for Williams, there was nothing dishonest about celebrating a dunk. —

Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025 And Kelly claimed that in his responses, Hegseth has been dishonest with the American people. —

Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2025 Some of this debate is honest, and some is dishonest. —

Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2025 Hearst was a political influencer and pioneer of yellow journalism—dishonest and sensationalized reporting, which some historians believe contributed to the Spanish-American War of 1898. —

Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for dishonest