untruthful

adjective

un·​truth·​ful ˌən-ˈtrüth-fəl 

: not containing or telling the truth : false, inaccurate

an untruthful report

untruthfully

ˌən-ˈtrüth-fə-lē 

adverb

untruthfulness noun

Synonyms

• erroneous
• false
• inaccurate
• incorrect
• inexact
• invalid
• off
• unsound
• untrue
• wrong

Choose the Right Synonym for untruthful

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 untruthful in a Sentence

an unintentionally untruthful statement that the candidate later corrected

the political action committee was slammed for spreading untruthful smears about the candidate and his wife

Recent Examples on the Web

Our choice is the person who says the most outrageous, offensive and untruthful things, or the person who is subjected to those insults and lies. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

This comes after Adrian Houser was moved to the bullpen after a poor start to the season, after Edwin Diaz was briefly taken out of the closer role and after and Jorge Lopez was designated for assignment for being untruthful and unremorseful in controversial postgame remarks last week. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 4 June 2024

What is more untruthful: A thing written down, or a sustained deception of the heart? —Nicolette Polek, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

So Trump's team really leaned into that to argue that Cohen had lied, had been untruthful on the stand. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 21 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1843, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

untruthful

adjective

un·​truth·​ful ˌən-ˈtrüth-fəl 

ˈən-

: not containing or telling the truth : false, inaccurate

untruthful reports

untruthfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

untruthfulness noun