disingenuous
adjective
dis·in·gen·u·ous
ˌdis-in-ˈjen-yə-wəs 
-yü-əs
: lacking in candor
also
: giving a false appearance of simple frankness : calculating
disingenuously
adverb
disingenuousness
noun
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A disingenuous remark might contain some superficial truth, but it is delivered with the intent to deceive or to serve some hidden purpose. Its base word ingenuous (derived from a Latin adjective meaning "native" or "freeborn") can describe someone who, like a child, is innocent or lacking guile or craftiness. English speakers began frequently joining the negative prefix dis- with ingenuous to create disingenuous during the 17th century.
Examples of disingenuous in a Sentence
"It's had nine murders since 1937—about the same as you would get in many small towns." This was correct, but a wee disingenuous. The AT [Appalachian Trail] had no murders in its first thirty-six years and nine in the past twenty-two.
—
Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods, 1999
… and he egged Badger on, asking a disingenuous question about the antivivisection rally in Cleveland, and as Badger took the thought up and chewed it over, the Doctor made as if to excuse himself.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
… he has a disingenuous way of resorting to slang when he wants to make a big point but is afraid of sounding pretentious.
—Karen Schoemer, New York Times Book Review, 31 Oct. 1993
Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan.
—Salman Rushdie, The Independent on Sunday, 25 Nov. 1990
Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.
Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods, 1999
… and he egged Badger on, asking a disingenuous question about the antivivisection rally in Cleveland, and as Badger took the thought up and chewed it over, the Doctor made as if to excuse himself.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
… he has a disingenuous way of resorting to slang when he wants to make a big point but is afraid of sounding pretentious.
—Karen Schoemer, New York Times Book Review, 31 Oct. 1993
Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan.
—Salman Rushdie, The Independent on Sunday, 25 Nov. 1990
Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.
Recent Examples on the Web
If these structural concerns are not remedied at the federal level, then the president’s comments expressing grave concern about violence in Chicago will continue to feel dangerous, insensitive and deeply disingenuous.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Walker’s throwing error in the second inning didn’t help matters, but to blame this on anyone but Javier is disingenuous.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
To be sure, not all Westerners put forward this disingenuous portrait of imperial Japan.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 22 Aug. 2025
Cloaking them as something good for your skin health is totally disingenuous.
—Lucy Abbersteen, Refinery29, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disingenuous
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Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
Walker’s throwing error in the second inning didn’t help matters, but to blame this on anyone but Javier is disingenuous.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
To be sure, not all Westerners put forward this disingenuous portrait of imperial Japan.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 22 Aug. 2025
Cloaking them as something good for your skin health is totally disingenuous.
—Lucy Abbersteen, Refinery29, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disingenuous
Cite this Entry
“Disingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disingenuous. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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