dishonest
Americanadjective
-
not honest; disposed to lie, cheat, or steal; not worthy of trust or belief.
a dishonest person.
- Synonyms:
- perfidious, deceitful, knavish, unscrupulous
- Antonyms:
- honest
-
proceeding from or exhibiting lack of honesty; fraudulent.
a dishonest advertisement.
- Synonyms:
- false
- Antonyms:
- honest
adjective
Usage
What does dishonest mean? Dishonest is the opposite of honest—it’s used to describe someone or something as intentionally deceptive or not fully truthful in some way.When dishonest is used to describe a person, it usually means they are frequently or habitually untruthful—that they tend to lie often or that they often hide or leave out part of the truth.When dishonest is used to describe a thing, it usually implies that the thing is intentionally deceptive—that it’s intended to deceive people or mislead them through lies, the omission of all or parts of the truth, or the twisting of the truth.Just as the noun form of honest is honesty, the noun form of dishonest is dishonesty.Example: The article exposes the company’s dishonest business practices and the dishonest executives who promote them.
Related Words
See corrupt.
Other Word Forms
- dishonestly adverb
Etymology
Origin of dishonest
1350–1400; Middle English dishoneste < Anglo-French, Old French deshoneste, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + honeste honest
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.
State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona said in a statement the allegations, if proved, “represent dishonest and illegal conduct.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
So my questions are these: What is our moral obligation to someone who is repeatedly dishonest, has stolen from family and refuses accountability?
From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026
Crockett herself told a reporter that Godfrey is dishonest and lost a defamation case.
From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026
Lauren Bis, the woman reported to be McLaughlin’s replacement, may be an even more dishonest character.
From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026
Men are never so dishonest that they will repress an ally with such a flagrant display of ingratitude.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
