Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective mendacious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mendacious are deceitful, dishonest, and untruthful. While all these words mean "unworthy of trust or belief," 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

When is deceitful a more appropriate choice than mendacious?

The words deceitful and mendacious 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 might dishonest be a better fit than mendacious?

In some situations, the words dishonest and mendacious are roughly equivalent. However, dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

In what contexts can untruthful take the place of mendacious?

The meanings of untruthful and mendacious largely overlap; however, untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

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 mendacious 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 Two stand out: his profile and endorsement, in 2000, of Ralph Nader’s independent presidential campaign, and his early opposition to George W. Bush’s disastrous and mendacious invasion of Iraq. Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 The candidate vying for a second White House stint — in the midst of his third overall campaign — has accumulated a long list of acts who do not want to be associated with his divisive, frequently mendacious rhetoric. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2024 After a similarly poor, though far less mendacious, performance from Biden in the Presidential debate, leaders in his party demanded that the President exit the race. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for mendacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mendacious
Adjective
  • There's also research showing that AI agents can easily be subversive, self-serving and dishonest in their actions.
    Lisa Loud, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • That’s a fact, so saying otherwise is dishonest and can lead to confusion.
    Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 5 May 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Abrego Garcia’s deportation to El Salvador was erroneous, the government said.
    Ashley Oliver, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2025
  • There’s a chance the erroneous WinRE error might be a little persistent.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • During the trial, prosecutors showed videos of the multiple interviews Troconis had with law enforcement and accused her of being untruthful about Farber Dulos’ disappearance.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement on June 1 was terribly misguided, and his justification for doing so was misleading and untruthful.
    Robert N. Stavins, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2017
Adjective
  • Now their weird discomfort with disease—and their outré views on cancer in particular—is being refracted through a sea of false, indecent speculations.
    Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2025
  • This discrepancy hindered the adoption of BI, which might further damage AI by generating models that are trained with false assumptions and generate erroneous predictions.
    Artyom Keydunov, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mendacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mendacious. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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