Simple Definition of disingenuous

from our Learner's Dictionary

disingenuous

adjective

ˌdɪsɪnˈʤɛnjəwəs How to pronounce disingenuous (audio)
formal : not truly honest or sincere : giving the false appearance of being honest or sincere
Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.
a disingenuous response

Cite this Entry

“Disingenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/disingenuous. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on disingenuous

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for disingenuous

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of asunder

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All