dishonest

adjective

dis·​hon·​est (ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst How to pronounce dishonest (audio)
 also  (ˌ)diz-
1
obsolete : shameful, unchaste
2
: 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 For example, Republicans and Democrats became more likely to view each other as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral, unintelligent and lazy between 2016 and 2022, according to a different Pew study based on responses from 6,174 adults. Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 Stating the opposite is simply dishonest, and shameful and polarizing behavior. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 In the time since, Lachlan has publicly voiced support for Fox News’ dishonest election coverage, which helped create the conditions that led to the violent January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Oliver Darcy, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Generally, consumers have become comfortable with being dishonest to get an illegitimate refund. Indy Guha, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024 Another is to raise questions about various details in stories to suggest that if there’s even a single error, or a witness whose testimony is at all inconsistent, the entire account must also be false and dishonest. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 The case involved secret payments, dishonest business dealings and an unlikely confession by Berenyi that brought the scheme to light. The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 Victoria is working her way to the presidency, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) has months to live and no leadership to his name, and the rest of The Boys, in general, are sick of the dishonest dynamic that's been fostered within their organization. Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 Mosby said her now ex-husband, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby, was repeatedly dishonest with her about the state of the couple’s finances, including about unpaid federal taxes that were jointly filed and a $45,000 lien from the Internal Revenue Service. Jasmine Hilton, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dishonest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French deshoneste, from des- dis- + honeste honest

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dishonest was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dishonest

Cite this Entry

“Dishonest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dishonest. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dishonest

adjective
dis·​hon·​est (ˈ)dis-ˈän-əst How to pronounce dishonest (audio)
: not honest or trustworthy : deceitful
dishonest people
dishonestly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dishonest

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