DISHONEST Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

dishonest

adjective

(ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst

Definition of dishonest next

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

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

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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dishonest

Adjective

According to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, at least 200 teachers were falsely certified as part of the conspiracy, via over 400 fraudulent tests, with the scheme dating back to at least May 2020.

— Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
Often fraudulent communications claiming to be from the IRS or associated individuals can have typos or other mistakes in them, but with artificial intelligence, these communications are more sophisticated and scams can be harder to spot.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025