dishonest

adjective

dis·​hon·​est (ˌ)dis-ˈä-nəst 

also (ˌ)diz-

1

obsolete : shameful, unchaste

2

: characterized by lack of truth, honesty, or trustworthiness : unfair, deceptive

dishonestly adverb

Synonyms of dishonest

• misleading
• erroneous
• mendacious
• untruthful
• lying
• false

Choose the Right Synonym for dishonest

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

But 52% of employees in that same study believe their company's efforts to be empathetic are dishonest. — Dennis Kozak, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The state agency said clinic staffers had clients sign a personal injury waiver, which the commission said was unenforceable, against public policy and deceptive and dishonest. — Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026

There is no industry-standard pricing for tax relief, which is one reason why taxpayers can sometimes fall victim to overpriced or dishonest tax relief scams. — Nick Perry, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Her attorneys contend the defendants used the litigation to portray her as dishonest, intimidate potential witnesses, fuel a public relations campaign against her and drive up the cost of her legal defense. — Adam Reiss, NBC news, 30 June 2026

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

Rhymes for dishonest

• honest
• monist

Kids Definition

dishonest

adjective

dis·​hon·​est (ˈ)dis-ˈän-əst 

: not honest or trustworthy : deceitful

dishonest people

dishonestly adverb