Definition of dishonestnext
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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 More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent. Justin Callais, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026 His judgments about the characters—both famous and obscure—who mattered in this low, dishonest era are always persuasive. Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026 At the same time, my husband and I have always tried to parent as a team, and keeping something like this from him feels dishonest. Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026 This is incredibly misleading, dishonest and self-serving. U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dishonest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishonest
Adjective
  • And some statistics can be misleading, as well.
    Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Former employees of the DHS office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in a statement to Congress this month accused the department of providing lawmakers with a misleading report of civil rights complaints there.
    Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Cherfilus-McCormick is charged with 15 counts, including theft of government funds, money laundering, making and receiving straw donor contributions, and aiding and assisting the preparation of a false and fraudulent statement on a tax return.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Both men sold drugs to fund their fraudulent transactions, prosecutors said.
    Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Lebohang Morake — the Grammy-winning South African composer behind the film’s opening Zulu vocals — filed a federal civil complaint in California on March 16 against the comedian, Learnmore Jonasi, alleging that the translation is false and damaging to his life’s work.
    Joe Kottke, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Rebollo, a 58-year-old Chula Vista resident, pleaded guilty in December in San Diego federal court to one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of filing a false tax return and one count related to Social Security fraud.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The stalemate stems from Democrats’ insistence on immigration-enforcement reform — particularly, the cruel and often erroneous enforcement that is sending shockwaves of fear throughout immigrant populations and even distressing American-citizen residents of Puerto Rico.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas addressed an erroneous report from earlier in the week with understanding while also making his feelings clear.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • On March 24, the jury found that Meta had violated the state’s consumer protection law by knowingly engaging in an unfair or deceptive trade practice.
    Diana Novak Jones, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Admittedly, Palace’s results had been rather deceptive.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026
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
Adjective
  • Until then, smuggling weed had been a grand adventure, an escape from a society that had just thrown Prager’s generation into a meat grinder in Vietnam, a repudiation of the crooked politicians and backward preachers and greedy capitalists who were running the world.
    Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
  • For the most part, this lineup, chock full of All-Stars and Hall of Famers, has struggled to put up crooked numbers.
    Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Federal authorities announced an investigation Friday of two immigration officers who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month.
    Hannah Schoenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Trump, of course, was rude, untruthful, and excessively, if not quite so egregiously, long-winded in his first term, too.
    Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dishonest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dishonest. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

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