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Synonyms

mendacious

American  
[men-dey-shuhs] / mɛnˈdeɪ ʃəs /

adjective

  1. telling lies, especially habitually; dishonest; lying; untruthful.

    a mendacious person.

    Antonyms:
    veracious
  2. false or untrue.

    a mendacious report.

    Antonyms:
    veracious

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of mendacious

1610–20; < Latin mendāci- ( see mendacity) + -ous

Explanation

A mendacious person is one who tells lies habitually and intentionally. Don't get stuck at the water cooler or bus stop next to someone you consider mendacious! People may tell "white lies" if they forgot your birthday or really don't like your new haircut, but if you catch someone intentionally manipulating you with a falsehood, that person is just plain mendacious. So think of the most deceptive, insincere, perfidious, duplicitous, false person you've ever met, and then add the word mendacious to that list.

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Vocabulary lists containing mendacious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mendacious, chaotic, vicious, disgusting and arguably psychopathic, yes.

From Salon • Aug. 4, 2017

"Why—" Mendacious Mr. Wrenn! as we have commented.

From Our Mr. Wrenn, the Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man by Lewis, Sinclair

And showeth how a Great Republic finally overcame its surpassingly Mendacious Foes, and how it evinced its unspeakable Gratitude to Providence for such a Victory.

From The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers. Series 3 by Newell, Robert H.

Master of the Mendacious Art in the Cretan College, says or writes one thing, he must be taken as meaning exactly the opposite.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, May 30, 1891 by Various

Mendacious, men-dā′shus, adj. given to lying: speaking falsely: of the nature of a lie.—adv.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various