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mendaciousness

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noun

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
Adjective
President Trump is mendacious, vengeful, and unscrupulous. Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025 But future generations in China, those not bound by the same baggage as the Xi family, may someday find their voice and want to overturn Mao’s old mendacious order. Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2025 At Comedy Central, Colbert rose to prominence playing a slightly exaggerated version of Bill O’Reilly and other unapologetically mendacious Fox News pundits from the George W. Bush years. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025 The true story reveals both how freedom of speech first came to be conceived of as a mechanism for truth, an antidote to falsehood, and the foundation of all liberty—and that, ironically, this new and powerful theory was itself a deliberately mendacious fiction. Fara Dabhoiwala, Harpers Magazine, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mendacious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mendacious
Adjective
  • The lawsuit claims several pieces of the ballot summary are misleading.
    Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
  • But even if the court finds the ballot summary is misleading, that wouldn't erase the measure from the ballot.
    CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • Twelve out of 13 isn’t bad, and to harp on what hadn’t worked during the Hurricanes’ relatively brief march to the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights would be disingenuous, dishonest and dumb.
    Sean Gentille, New York Times, 3 June 2026
  • The use of first-person pronouns is dishonest, but there’s a much deeper issue that goes beyond how a statement is phrased.
    Ted Chiang, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • The good news is, though, that while an erroneous freeze can cause big trouble with your bills, it can usually be reversed.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 15 June 2026
  • Judge Nicole Hopps last month increased his minimum term of incarceration to 60 years after granting his request to correct the erroneous sentence.
    Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • She was fired in March 2026 for violations that led to a deputy working while being unlicensed, and for being untruthful when questioned about it, according to the complaint.
    Jack Springgate, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • Since 2019, state law has required law enforcement agencies that employ POST certificate holders to notify the board if a certificate holder knowingly made an untruthful statement during an internal affairs investigation, among other circumstances.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
    Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Adjective
  • Baldoni denied the allegations and maintained that Lively's claims were false.
    Janelle Ash , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
  • Baldoni filed a countersuit in January 2025 for civil extortion, defamation and false light.
    Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 12 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mendacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mendacious. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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