Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective untruthful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of untruthful are deceitful, dishonest, and mendacious. While all these words mean "unworthy of trust or belief," untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

When is deceitful a more appropriate choice than untruthful?

The words deceitful and untruthful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deceitful usually implies an intent to mislead and commonly suggests a false appearance or double-dealing.

the secret affairs of a deceitful spouse

When would dishonest be a good substitute for untruthful?

While the synonyms dishonest and untruthful are close in meaning, dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

When might mendacious be a better fit than untruthful?

While in some cases nearly identical to untruthful, 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

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 untruthful Phelan, largely brushing off Covey's attacks as politically motivated and untruthful, has stuck to his reputation of having represented the district through several election cycles, running unopposed over the past several, and his work to advance border security legislation and funding last year. Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman, 20 May 2024 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 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 See All Example Sentences for untruthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untruthful
Adjective
  • The erroneous deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was first reported by The Atlantic.
    Mike Allen, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025
  • However, navigating this situation requires caution to ensure compliance with employment laws and to avoid making erroneous assumptions without having all the facts.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition, prosecutors told their supervisors in a memo that the show had edited footage of the investigation out of chronological order, generating an inaccurate depiction of what happened.
    Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 29 Mar. 2025
  • By contrast, Russia’s own inertial guidance backups tend to be inaccurate.
    David Axe, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • All Republicans in the General Assembly are lame ducks and Shoemaker is being dishonest in his criticism of me for not towing the party’s strategy of failure.
    Christopher Eric Bouchat, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Their termination e-mails were short, impersonal, and, in many cases, dishonest.
    E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Although some posters online have suggested the streetlamp are emitting ultraviolet or black light, that's incorrect, Davis said.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
  • When that happens, inferring eligibility based on the tax unit claiming the child would be incorrect.
    Elaine Maag, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s contrived veneer is being ripped away to reveal an immoral, mendacious, transactional opportunist, without a shred of loyalty to anyone or anything but himself.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Her unsettling command of the character — who was equal parts sweet, vulnerable, mendacious, and menacing — was one of the highlights of the series.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • In the case of the Ruscha photographs, computer vision was simply wrong.
    Sonja Drimmer, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
  • It’s been more than two years since a fiery derailment in rural Ohio made Norfolk Southern and the village of East Palestine household names for all the wrong reasons.
    Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In the case against Allied Van Lines Moving and Storage, the larger Allied Van Lines Inc. accused the defendant of trademark infringement, false descriptions, federal trademark dilution, cybersquatting, injury to its business reputation and dilution, and misappropriation and unfair competition.
    Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Nothing progressive or compassionate about continuing that false hope which attracts people to make those journeys.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Untruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untruthful. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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