dishonest

adjective

dis·​hon·​est (ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst How to pronounce dishonest (audio)
also (ˌ)diz-
Synonyms of dishonest
1
obsolete : shameful, unchaste
2
: characterized by lack of truth, honesty, or trustworthiness : unfair, deceptive
dishonestly adverb

Synonyms of dishonest

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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 dishonest in a Sentence

She gave dishonest answers to our questions. I think he is being dishonest about how much he knows
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Of course, there are also age-old hustles so evidently dishonest that there was a time when their exponents risked being hung or shot. — Kit Chellel, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026 Like the president, Vance describes Democrats as dishonest, pandering, and often stupid. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Denigrating the relationship—deciding, for instance, that the rejecter was evil, dishonest, unworthy of your respect or time— devalues your own history, in effect consigning the whole relationship to the trash bin. — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026 Only someone very comfortable, or very dishonest, would pretend the fantasy has no appeal. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dishonest

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French deshoneste, from des- dis- + honeste honest

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dishonest was in the 14th century

Rhymes for dishonest

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Dishonest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dishonest. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dishonest

adjective
dis·​hon·​est (ˈ)dis-ˈän-əst How to pronounce dishonest (audio)
: not honest or trustworthy : deceitful
dishonest people
dishonestly adverb
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