Definition of untruthfulnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective untruthful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of untruthful are deceitful, dishonest, and mendacious. While all these words mean "unworthy of trust or belief," untruthful stresses a discrepancy between what is said and fact or reality.

an untruthful account of their actions

When is deceitful a more appropriate choice than untruthful?

The words deceitful and untruthful 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 would dishonest be a good substitute for untruthful?

While the synonyms dishonest and untruthful are close in meaning, dishonest implies a willful perversion of truth in order to deceive, cheat, or defraud.

a swindle usually involves two dishonest people

When might mendacious be a better fit than untruthful?

While in some cases nearly identical to untruthful, 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

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 untruthful Federal authorities announced an investigation Friday of two immigration officers who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month. Hannah Schoenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026 Trump, of course, was rude, untruthful, and excessively, if not quite so egregiously, long-winded in his first term, too. Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026 King suggested the defense attorney was being untruthful. Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 13 Nov. 2025 Officers making contact with Hyatt noted an odor of intoxicants, staggering gait, confusion and illogical, untruthful responses to questions, according to the motion. Arkansas Online, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for untruthful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untruthful
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
  • 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
  • But Grossman described characterizations of his wife driving drunk, racing and hitting the boys after going as fast as 82 mph in a 45-mph zone as inaccurate.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • Prosecutors alleged that Kroger used inaccurate calorie information on five varieties of its Carbmaster bread, both online and on the product's packaging.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 9 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 inspectors also noted improper date marking and incorrect food storage practices.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
  • According to prosecutors, Kroger initially miscalculated the calorie content of the products when they were introduced in 2021 and displayed incorrect calorie values on both FDA nutrition labels and front-of-package advertising.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
    Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.
    Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • But the truth may be that Anthropic is wrong about Mythos’ dangers, and that the government is taking a drastic action that could potentially hurt the US in the technology race with China.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 13 June 2026
  • But it was soon revealed that the actors were given the wrong envelope by accountants from Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the firm charged with counting Oscar votes, keeping the results secret and organizing and handing out envelopes to presenters.
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 13 June 2026
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

“Untruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untruthful. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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