dishonest

adjective

(ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst How to pronounce dishonest (audio)
Definition of dishonestnext
1
as in misleading
telling or containing lies I think he is being dishonest about how much he knows dishonest statements on the claims form

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception dishonest car dealers who roll back mileage gauges dishonest business deals that landed him in jail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in false
marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value dishonest appraisals of art works that were part of an elaborate scheme to defraud insurance companies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dishonest differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dishonest are deceitful, mendacious, and untruthful. While all these words 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

When is deceitful a more appropriate choice than dishonest?

While the synonyms deceitful and dishonest are close in meaning, deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.

the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse

When might mendacious be a better fit than dishonest?

The words mendacious and dishonest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When could untruthful be used to replace dishonest?

The words untruthful and dishonest can be used in similar contexts, but untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dishonest His costly miscalculation exploded into a life-and-death war fiasco that an incompetent and dishonest administration is now incapable of ending. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026 In response to Simmons’s claims, O’Hare said Tuesday that Simmons is being completely dishonest. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026 Of course, the senior consultant wasn't actually calling customers dishonest. — Natalie Lemke, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 There is an endless list of important takeaways from the new information, notably that Fauci was repeatedly and purposefully dishonest in order to get the public to comply with his policies and recommendations. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dishonest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishonest
  1. misleading
  2. fraudulent
  3. false
  4. erroneous
  5. deceptive
  6. mendacious
  7. crooked
  8. untruthful
Adjective
  • Blanche is also confronting growing distrust of the Justice Department among judges, who in multiple cases have accused government lawyers of withholding information or misleading courts.
    — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Both made misleading statements when questioned by authorities, according to the lawsuit.
    — Chase Jordan August 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • Police said Pabst later learned that the pickup documents were fraudulent.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Washington rejected the legitimacy of the 2018 election that returned Maduro to office and also considered his 2024 reelection fraudulent.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • The lawsuit filed by two former employees contains allegations that are false, misleading, and unsupported by credible evidence.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Zucker provided false and misleading statements to investigators, according to a summary of findings released Wednesday.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of false
Adjective
  • The lawsuit alleges that South Dakota’s rollout of the proof-of-citizenship requirement has disqualified eligible voters over erroneous minutiae and failed to offer them a realistic shot at fixing problems with their registration application.
    — John Hult, States Newsroom, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Towers told ProPublica that the audit had reached erroneous conclusions, that the auditors did not give him the opportunity to fully defend his work and that the journal’s willingness to stand by the study is proof that his research is sound.
    — Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of erroneous
Adjective
  • The technology was also tested against deceptive behaviour, an in a different scenario, fishing boats appeared to retreat while vessels from another direction accelerated toward the coastguard ship.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The siblings are likely to dispute Jeanie’s characterization of their actions as deceptive and clandestine, perhaps by pointing to communications with their sister and her responses.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.
    — Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Definition of mendacious
Adjective
  • Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines.
    — Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, there are crooked cops on the inside trying to spring El Chapo, so the arresting officers need to quickly figure out who to trust.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • However, subsequent video evidence led officials to claim that the officers involved had likely made untruthful statements about what happened.
    — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In February, federal authorities launched an investigation into two federal immigration agents who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath regarding a nonfatal shooting of an immigrant in Minneapolis in January.
    — Hallie Golden, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of untruthful

Browse Nearby Words

dishing out
dishonest
dishonestly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dishonest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dishonest. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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